It is apparent that virtually all nations of the world, both developed and developing, will be required to provide increasing quantities and types of home care services. In order for each to learn from all others, it is essential that we begin by collecting in one place what home care services are available in each country. This Compendium was designed to be that resource.
Information from 187 countries was solicited and one or more persons from 91 nations graciously responded. Of these countries, ten reported that no formal system of home health care exists at the present time. Those countries are:
| Barbados Cambodia Cameroon El Salvador Iran, Islamic Republic of |
Kazakhstan Morocco Oman Romania Suriname, Republic of |
Most regrettably, another four countries were unable to respond because mail service was interrupted or suspended in their country due to war or strife:
| Bosnia Rwanda |
Somalia Yemen |
In addition, the information from the following four countries is not complete as yet and therefore is not able to be included at the present time:
| Greece Madagascar |
Monaco Tunisia |
Lastly, three countries responded that they were unable to provide complete information at this time:
| Afghanistan Mozambique |
Papa New Guinea |
The editors attempted to format the material so that it might be presented in as uniform a manner as possible. It is apparent that when this is done the range and availability of home care services provided, directly or indirectly, varies strikingly form country to country.
We can anticipate that there will be dramatic changes over the next decade as virtually all countries of the world make efforts to provide health care and appropriate social services for a population which is increasingly elderly and stricken with chronic disease. In addition it is likely that efforts to control health care costs will add considerably to the agenda of the home care industry. Therefore, we anticipate that this volume is but the first edition of a resource which we hope will be published at regular intervals in the future.
Acknowledgment
We would like to acknowledge with gratitude the agencies and individuals serving as a resource for this Compendium. Without the unique contribution of each, the completion of this volume would not have been possible.