title: Cost of informal care for diabetic patients in Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study estimated the cost of informal care for 475 randomly selected diabetic patients as identified by International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10 codes=E10-E14) and who received treatment at Waritchaphum hospital in Sakhon Nakhon province of Thailand during the financial year 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Informal care was valued by using revealed preference method. Information of informal caregiving was collected through direct personal interview method either from the patients or from the caregivers. The data on time spent for informal care were collected by using recall method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study covered a total of 190 informal caregivers. Average time spent on informal care was 112.38h per month. The estimated cost of informal care was USD 110,713.08 using opportunity cost approach and USD 93,896.52 using proxy good method in 2008 (1 USD=32 Thai Baht).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study concluded that the hidden cost associated with informal caregiving is a burden for the Thai society. Hence, the economic cost associated with informal caregiving should be considered for future analyses of both the public health consequences of diabetes and interventions aimed at decreasing diabetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447, Sri Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. s_chatterjee_123@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Susmita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Arthorn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riewpaiboon
authors.forename: Piyanuch
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piyauthakit
authors.forename: Wachara
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Riewpaiboon
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018803:Models, Economic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult