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Utilization of alternative systems of medicine as health care services in India: Evidence on AYUSH care from NSS 2014
PLoS ONE
Short Title: PLoS ONEUtilization of alternative systems of medicine as health care services in India
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2017/05/04/
Pages: 1 - 20
Sources ID: 93611
Notes: Accession Number: 122855174; Rudra, Shalini 1 Kalra, Aakshi 2 Kumar, Abhishek 2 Joe, William 2; Email Address: william@iegindia.org; Affiliation:  1: Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, India  2: Population Research Centre, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University North Campus, Delhi, India; Source Info: 5/4/2017, Vol. 12 Issue 5, p1; Subject Term: AYURVEDIC medicine; Subject Term: YOGA; Subject Term: NATUROPATHY; Subject Term: HOMEOPATHY; Subject Term: ALTERNATIVE medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Asia; Author-Supplied Keyword: Complementary and alternative medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Earth sciences; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geographic areas; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geographical locations; Author-Supplied Keyword: Geography; Author-Supplied Keyword: Health care; Author-Supplied Keyword: Health care policy; Author-Supplied Keyword: Health care providers; Author-Supplied Keyword: Homeopathy; Author-Supplied Keyword: India; Author-Supplied Keyword: Medicine and health sciences; Author-Supplied Keyword: Naturopathy; Author-Supplied Keyword: Outpatients; Author-Supplied Keyword: Patients; Author-Supplied Keyword: People and places; Author-Supplied Keyword: Research Article; Author-Supplied Keyword: Traditional medicine; Author-Supplied Keyword: Urban areas; Number of Pages: 20p; Document Type: Article
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy represents the alternative systems of medicine recognized by the Government of India. Understanding the patterns of utilization of AYUSH care has been important for various reasons including an increased focus on its mainstreaming and integration with biomedicine-based health care system. Based on a nationally representative health survey 2014, we present an analysis to understand utilization of AYUSH care across socioeconomic and demographic groups in India. Overall, 6.9% of all patients seeking outpatient care in the reference period of last two weeks have used AYUSH services without any significant differentials across rural and urban India. Importantly, public health facilities play a key role in provisioning of AYUSH care in rural areas with higher utilization in Chhattisgarh, Kerala and West Bengal. Use of AYUSH among middle-income households is lower when compared with poorer and richer households. We also find that low-income households display a greater tendency for AYUSH self-medication. AYUSH care utilization is higher among patients with chronic diseases and also for treating skin-related and musculo-skeletal ailments. Although the overall share of AYUSH prescription drugs in total medical expenditure is only about 6% but the average expenditure for drugs on AYUSH and allopathy did not differ hugely. The discussion compares our estimates and findings with other studies and also highlights major policy issues around mainstreaming of AYUSH care.