Physicians’ Concerns About Home Health Care in Turkey: How Supportive Are They?

Abstract

Home health care is a low-cost alternative to traditional inpatient care and an appealing alternative for developing countries such as Turkey, where financial resources for health care are particularly scarce. To gain insight into the concerns of physicians regarding this possibility, a survey was administered to 200 physicians sampled at a large academic medical center in central Turkey. The results of the study indicate that 14% of the participants think that home health care in general is not appropriate for Turkey; however, 58% of participants felt that being close to one’s family when ill can have a significant effect on the course of the illness and recovery. The results of the study suggest that home health care is seen as an economically appealing but somewhat medically controversial area that nonetheless shows promise for future development in Turkey and other similarly developing countries.