Background: The problems associated with cerebral palsy and their socio-economic burden impose a large pressure on families with children suffering from cerebral palsy. This study aimed to compare clinic care and home care regarding costs of treatment for children with cerebral palsy.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 56 children with cerebral palsy; 28 patients were under home care and 28 patients were under the care of health centers. Data were collected using simple random sampling. The daily direct costs of patients were collected using checklists for 3 months. The information was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and independent t-test by the SPSS ₁₆.
Results: The mean cost of home care was less than clinic care (p < 0.05). The mean costs of patients had a significant difference with the types of cerebral palsy (p < 0.05). The per capita to take care of children with cerebral palsy in clinic was 27,980,000 Rials and in home care was 19,786,000 Rials. The total cost of care was 554,020,000 Rials at home and 783,426,000 Rials at the clinic (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The cost of clinic care was higher than home care. Therefore, home care is recommended as the appropriate and more cost-effective strategy for children with cerebral palsy. Considering the Problems of home care, it is essential to facilitate implementation of this strategy by improving insurance coverage and informing families with cerebral palsy children.