Are 'complementary and alternative medicines' alternative to conventional medical system? An economic evaluation

Authors: Das, Tuhin K.; Choudhury, Dipanwita S. D.

Source: Applied Economics Letters, Volume 14, Number 9, July 2007 , pp. 697-700(4)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

The availability of conventional medical services (i.e., allopathy) is the basic need for a modern day living. Though this clause is easily met in the developed countries, but in the developing countries it is very difficult to accomplish. Hence in the developing countries a dearth is often created, which is filled to some extent by complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). In India this phenomenon is acutely noticied. In this regard, a study is highly needed to understand why do people go for complementary and alternative medicines? Is it for the very concept that the alternative medicines involve low cost, and/or are they equally or more effective than the familiar allopathic tretment? So, this study is an approach to (i) the determination of the socio-economic factors that influence the choice of complementary and alternative medical services by health purchasers, and also (ii) the estimation of the cost-effectiveness of these medical services.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504850600592580

Affiliations: 1: Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India

Publication date: 2007-07-01

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