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Cost analysis of constipation management in children with disabilities from caregivers’ perspective: preliminary findings
Haliza Hasan1, Siti Mariam Muda2, Nurul Nabilah Samsudin3, Heni Dwi Windarwani4, Evi Harwiati Ningrum5.
Background: Children with disabilities frequently experience comorbidities, with constipation being
one of the most prevalent. This condition is often linked to neurological and disability conditions in
such children. Managing constipation can impose significant financial burdens in term of direct
medical and non-medical costs on caregivers, but data on the associated costs are limited. This study aimed to estimate the medical and non-medical expenses of caregivers of children with disabilities in managing constipation during the 2019 financial year.
Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted to assess the costs incurred by
caregivers of children with disabilities who experienced constipation. 68 caregivers from Pahang were recruited through purposive sampling. A self-administered costing questionnaire was used to capture medical and non-medical expenses data.
Results: The findings revealed that the mean age of children was 10.82 ± 3.204, 29% of the children had intellectual disabilities, 41.2% experienced constipation for less than six months, and the majority had mild constipation. The median cost attended the CBR programme was RM1,040.00 (554.84), Government hospitals RM 344.40 (138.72), private hospitals RM 1,255.80 (657.72) and alternative rehabilitation for constipation was RM 1,147.20 (701.93). The Median caregiver’s medication and supplements cost was RM890.80 (384.25). The findings show that, lowest cost spent for government facilities compared to private and alternative facilities because high subsidiaries provided by Malaysia government.
Conclusion: The study highlights that caregivers of children with disabilities who were facing
constipation tend to prefer non-medical treatments over medical interventions, leading to higher nonmedical costs. These findings revealed that parents prefer to non-medical rehabilitation due to
accessibility, cultural preference and affordable.
Affiliation:
- International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
- International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
- Cengild G.I. Medical Centre, Malaysia
- Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia
- Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia
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