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Applied Health Economics and Health Policy
Published in: Applied Health Economics and Health Policy 6/2015

01-12-2015 | Practical Application

Estimating the Costs of Torture: Challenges and Opportunities

Authors: Emmanuel Kabengele Mpinga, Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala, Jennifer Hasselgård-Rowe, Félicien Tshimungu Kandolo, Henk Verloo, Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda, Philippe Chastonay

Published in: Applied Health Economics and Health Policy | Issue 6/2015

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Abstract

Due to its nature, extent and consequences, torture is considered a major public health problem and a serious violation of human rights. Our study aims to set the foundation for a theoretical framework of the costs related to torture. It examines existing challenges and proposes some solutions. Our proposed framework targets policy makers, human rights activists, professionals working in programmes, centres and rehabilitation projects, judges and lawyers, survivors of torture and their families and anyone involved in the prevention and fight against this practice and its consequences. We adopted a methodology previously used in studies investigating the challenges in measuring and valuing productivity costs in health disorders. We identify and discuss conceptual, methodological, political and ethical challenges that studies on the economic and social costs of torture pose and propose alternatives in terms of possible solutions to these challenges. The economic dimension of torture is rarely debated and integrated in research, policies and programmes. Several challenges such as epistemological, methodological, ethical or political ones have often been presented as obstacles to cost studies of torture and as an excuse for not investigating this dimension. In identifying, analysing and proposing solutions to these challenges, we intend to stimulate the integration of the economic dimension in research and prevention of torture strategies.
Footnotes
1
Note, for the purposes of this article, ‘host countries’ are considered countries where survivors of torture are taken as refugees.
 
2
Hansen et al. [71] referring to the costs of home-based care for HIV/AIDS patients in Zimbabwe. For more information on the hours of informal care for dementia for example, the reader can refer to Wimo et al. ‘ The worldwide societal costs of dementia: Estimates for 2009’ [72] Qualitative studies (Nnko et al. 2000 [73]; Lindsey et al. [74]; Chimwaza and Watkins [75]) show that caregivers spend between 3–12 h per day caring for bedridden patients, while caring for incontinent patients or patients suffering from diarrhoea requires caregivers to be on standby 24 h a day to change nappies and soiled clothes (Nnko et al. [73]; HelpAge International [76]; Akintola [77]; Orner [78] referred to in Akintola [70]).
 
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Metadata
Title
Estimating the Costs of Torture: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors
Emmanuel Kabengele Mpinga
Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala
Jennifer Hasselgård-Rowe
Félicien Tshimungu Kandolo
Henk Verloo
Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda
Philippe Chastonay
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Applied Health Economics and Health Policy / Issue 6/2015
Print ISSN: 1175-5652
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1896
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-015-0196-z

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