Incorporating Caregiver and Family Effects in Economic Evaluations of Child Health

Patients are not isolated individuals, but have friends and families who care about them and, often, care for them. This is especially true for children. Parents' well-being and quality of life is likely to be affected by the illness of their child, especially when the illness is severe, even if they do not provide informal care. This chapter deals with the inclusion of the costs and effects on caregivers and other family members in economic evaluations, with a focus on informal care. Key topics are illustrated using data from previous studies. In the first part of the chapter, the burden of providing informal care to children and its valuation for economic evaluations is described. Next, attention is turned to family effects. Finally, recommendations and conclusions are provided for incorporating caregiver and family effects in economic evaluations of child health.