209288 Impact evaluation of the global health policy of integration of non-biomedicine and biomedicine into local health care systems in the Philippines

Monday, November 9, 2009: 3:00 PM

Paul Kadetz, PhD, MSN, MPH , Department of International Development, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (or non-biomedicine) functions as the primary source of healthcare for a majority of populations in developing countries. Medical pluralism, of biomedical and non-biomedical healthcare, presents in complex and often unstructured combinations, representing the predominant healthcare model in many developing countries. Global health policy has sought to structure this medical pluralism along a model of integration of non-biomedical systems into state and local biomedical healthcare systems. This policy has been implemented in the Philippines since legislation of the Traditional and Alternative Healthcare Law was approved in 1997, and the official division of the Philippine Department of Health; The Philippine Institute for Traditional & Alternative Care was created in 1998. To date, no impact evaluation of the implementation of this policy has been carried out.

This research, evaluates the impact of this global healthcare policy on local healthcare systems and on the health of populations in four communities in the Philippines. Two communities have fully adopted the policy of integration and two other communities have not adopted the policy and demonstrate a different typology of medical pluralism. A minimum sample size of N=100 is randomly selected in each community. A three-part design of qualitative-quantitative-qualitative data collection is utilised. Surveys and semi-structured interviews evaluate reported changes in community healthcare systems and changes in individual, family, and community health since implementation. Quantitative data collection, is randomly selected from community and local government records. Multilevel analysis is performed. Qualitative data is analysed with ethnograph and SPSS software. Quantitative data is analysed with SPSS. The implications of this research include a methodology whereby impact analysis and monitoring & evaluation of policy can facilitate the most appropriate policy for a given context, and thereby help to generate best practices in global policy formation and global governance.

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the evolution of the WHO policy of integrated medicine. Compare the way traditional medicine was integrated in China with how it is currently being integrated in the Philippines. Analyze the results of the impact evaluation of the implementation of traditional medicine integration in the Philippines.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral student at The University of Oxford. I have conducted four research projects as the Principle Investigator prior to this. I have had 5 presentations at APHA conference in the past 2 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.