scholarly journals Explaining Socioeconomic Inequality Differences in Catastrophic Health Expenditure Between Urban and Rural Areas of Iran After Health Transformation Plan Implementation

2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 12 ◽  
pp. 669-681
Author(s):  
Ali Kazemi-Karyani ◽  
Abraha Woldemichael ◽  
Moslem Soofi ◽  
Behzad Karami Matin ◽  
Shahin Soltani ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 316-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahid Yazdi-Feyzabadi ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Mehrolhassani ◽  
Ali Darvishi

Abstract One of the important goals of Iran’s health transformation programme (HTP) is to improve financial protection for households against health expenditure. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, intensity and inequality in distribution of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) using the WHO and the World Bank (WB) methodologies with different thresholds in the years before and after HTP. We used data from seven annual national repeated cross-sectional surveys on households’ income and expenditures from 2011 to 2017. The intensity to CHE was calculated using overshoot and mean positive overshoot (MPO) indices. Finally, the inequality in distribution of exposure to CHE was calculated using the concentration index (CI), and the dominance test of concentration curves was used to inference about the significant changes in inequality of the years before and after HTP. The exposure rate to CHE in the total population and at 40% threshold of the WHO methodology changed from 1.99% in 2011 to 3.46% in 2017. Additionally, at 20% threshold of the WB methodology, it was changed from 5.14% to 8.68%. Overshoot and MPO indices increased on average based on two methodologies in urban and rural areas during seven years. The CIs for all the years show a negative value in both methodologies, indicating that CHE occurrence is higher among the poor households. In 2017, at 40% threshold of the WHO, the numerical values of the CIs were −0.15 and −0.14 in urban and rural populations, respectively. These values were −0.07 and −0.05 for the 20% threshold of WB, respectively. Results of dominance test showed no significant change in inequality for the years after than before HTP with two exceptions for total and rural populations based on the WB methodology. Generally, HTP had no considerable success in financial protection, requiring a review in actions to support pro-poor adaptation strategies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e023033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yafei Si ◽  
Zhongliang Zhou ◽  
Min Su ◽  
Xiao Wang ◽  
Xin Lan ◽  
...  

ObjectiveDespite the latest wave of China’s healthcare reform initiated in 2009 has achieved unprecedented progress in rural areas, little is known for specific vulnerable groups’ catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in urban China. This study aims to estimate the trend of incidence, intensity and inequality of CHE in hypertension households (households with one or more than one hypertension patient) in urban Shaanxi, China from 2008 to 2013.MethodsBased on the fourth and the fifth National Health Service Surveys of Shaanxi, we identified 460 and 1289 households with hypertension in 2008 and 2013, respectively for our analysis. We classified hypertension households into two groups: simplex households (with hypertension only) and mixed households (with hypertension plus other non-communicable diseases). CHE would be identified if out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure was equal to or higher than 40% of a household’s capacity to pay. Concentration index and its decomposition based on Probit regressions were employed to measure the income-related inequality of CHE.ResultsWe find that CHE occurred in 11.2% of the simplex households and 22.1% of the mixed households in 2008, and the 21.5% of the simplex households and the 46.9% of mixed households incurred CHE in 2013. Furthermore, there were strong pro-poor inequalities in CHE in the simplex households (−0.279 and −0.283) and mixed households (−0.362 and −0.262) both in 2008 and 2013. The majority of observed inequalities in CHE could be associated with household economic status, household head’s health status and having elderly members.ConclusionWe find a sharp increase of CHE occurrence and the sustained strong pro-poor inequalities for simplex and mixed households in urban Shaanxi Province of China from 2008 to 2013. Our study suggests that more concerns are needed for the vulnerable groups such as hypertension households in urban areas of China.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Oladapo Ajayi ◽  
◽  
Demilade Olusola Ibirongbe ◽  
Tope Michael Ipinnimo ◽  
Oluremi Olayinka Solomon ◽  
...  

Background: Catastrophic health expenditure occurs when the burden of Out-of-pocket health expenditure has reached a certain level that a household must forego the expenditure on other basic needs of life to meet the health expenses of its member(s) of the household. Worldwide, over 44 million households suffer annually from financial catastrophe. This study intends to determine the prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure amongst rural and urban communities in Ekiti, Nigeria. Methodology: This is a comparative cross-sectional study of households within selected rural and urban communities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A pre-tested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data over a period of 4 months from a sample of 1,000 household heads, using a multistage sampling technique. Data obtained were then entered using the SPSS version 20 and analysed with STATA 12. Two different methodologies were used to calculate household catastrophic health expenditure, with sensitivity analysis done. Univariate analysis were used to describe the population in relation to relevant variables. Result: The prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure is high using the two methodological calculations. It was significantly higher in the rural areas, 18.5% than the urban areas, 12.8% (p=0.015) for first method; it was also higher in the rural areas, 8.3% compared to the urban areas, 2.5% (p<0.001) for the second method. Conclusion: Prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure is high in Nigeria, but worse in the rural areas. It’s therefore vital to establish financial and social intervention mechanisms that can protect households from incurring catastrophic health expenditure.


Author(s):  
Xiaochen Ma ◽  
Ziyue Wang ◽  
Xiaoyun Liu

Background: To provide an updated estimate of the level and change in catastrophic health expenditure in China and examine the association between catastrophic health expenditure and family net income, we obtained data from four waves of the China Family Panel Studies conducted between 2010 and 2016. Method: We defined catastrophic health expenditure as out-of-pocket payments equaling or exceeding 40% of the household’s capacity to pay. The Poisson regression with robust variance and generalized estimated equation (Poisson-GEE) model was used to quantify the level and change of catastrophic health expenditure, as well as the association between catastrophic heath expenditure and family net income. Result: Overall, the incidence of catastrophic expenditure in China experienced a 0.70-fold change between 2010 (12.57%) and 2016 (8.94%). The incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) decreased more in the poorest income quintile than the richest income quintile (annual decrease of 1.17% vs. 0.24% in urban areas, p < 0.001; 1.64% vs. −0.02% in rural areas, p < 0.001). Every 100% increase in income was associated with a 14% relative-risk reduction in CHE (RR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.85–0.88) after adjusting for demographics, health needs, and health utilization characteristics; this association was weaker in recent years. Conclusion: Our analysis found that China made progress to reduce catastrophic health expenditure, especially for poorer groups. Income growth is strongly associated with this change.


Author(s):  
Anqi Li ◽  
Yeliang Shi ◽  
Xue Yang ◽  
Zhonghua Wang

Background: China fully implemented the critical illness insurance (CII) program in 2016 to alleviate the economic burden of diseases and reduce catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). With an aging society, it is necessary to analyze the extent of CHE among Chinese households and explore the effect of CII and other associated factors on CHE. Methods: Data were derived from the Sixth National Health Service Survey (NHSS, 2018) in Jiangsu Province. The incidence and intensity of CHE were calculated with a sample of 3660 households in urban and rural areas in Jiangsu Province, China. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression models were used for estimating the effect of CII and related factors on CHE. Results: The proportion of households with no one insured by CII was 50.08% (1833). At each given threshold, from 20% to 60%, the incidence and intensity were higher in rural households than in urban ones. CII implementation reduced the incidence of CHE but increased the intensity of CHE. Meanwhile, the number of household members insured by CII did not affect CHE incidence but significantly decreased CHE intensity. Socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, education, employment, registered type of household head, household income and size, chronic disease status, and health service utilization, significantly affected household CHE. Conclusions: Policy effort should further focus on appropriate adjustments, such as dynamization of CII lists, medical cost control, increasing the CII coverage rate, and improving the reimbursement level to achieve the ultimate aim of using CII to protect Chinese households against financial risk caused by illness.


Author(s):  
Morteza JOSHANI KHEIBARI ◽  
Reza ESMAEILI ◽  
Mahmood KAZEMIAN

Background: Health reform in Iran began in 2014, aimed at improving financing pattern of health services. We assessed the reform by changes in variables representing distribution of health payments and catastrophic expenditures. Methods: Using data from households’ income-expenditure survey, this study computed the financial variables, representing poverty line and households at poor state, household’s catastrophic health expenditure, fairness in financial contribution (FFC) index, and household’s impoverishment state, in the years 2010-2016, in urban and rural areas. The variables were computed by special software designed for this study, based on C-Sharp(C#) programming language, with yearly data on more than 38000 households, each with 1072 information sources. Results: The food share-based poverty line after sharp rise in 2010-2013, in 2014-2016 raised slowly, and the average percent of households facing catastrophic health expenditure, after sharp rise in 2011-2013, left at 3.25 in 2014-2015 and raised to 3.45 in 2016. The average FFC index remained at 0.839 to 0.837 in 2013-2016. However, interestingly, the average percent of households impoverished after out-of-pocket payments improved from 1.36 to 0.912 in 2013-2016. Conclusion: In three years of health reform, the major impact of reform was considerable improvements in the rate of the impoverished after out-of-pocket payments. The reform had limited impacts on the rates of households facing catastrophic health expenditure, and on FFC indexes, for the rural and urban residents.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-746
Author(s):  
Arjun Kumar Thapa ◽  
Achyut Raj Pandey

Background: Despite various supply-side efforts, out of pocket expenditure occupies a considerable portion of healthcare financing in Nepal. With the recent process of federalization in country, there is additional scope for contextualized planning at provincial level to prevent catastrophic health expenditure among Nepalese households. In this context, this study intends to estimate the proportion of population facing catastrophic health expenditure at national and provincial level and identify the determinants of catastrophic health expenditure.Methods: This study involved analysis of Nepal Living Standard Survey III, which was a cross sectional study. Out of 5,988 households comprising 28,460 individuals, data from total of 7,911 individuals who reported having acute or chronic illness was extracted and analyzed in the study.Results: In the study, 11.11% of households had faced catastrophic health expenditure. Catastrophic health expenditure was found to be 11.3% in Province 1, 9.4% in Province 2, 10.7% in Bagmati Province, 10% in Gandaki Province, 11.7% in Lumbini Province, 13.3% in Karnali Province and 13.4% in Sudurpaschim Province. Household size, literacy status of household head, consumption quintile, urban or rural residence, type of illness and type of health facility visited were identified as determinants of catastrophic health expenditure.Conclusions: A tenth of households, most of whom lying below poverty line, residing in rural areas, suffering from chronic illness are facing catastrophic healthcare burden. The government needs to pursue its equity-oriented strategies preventing catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment associated with it.Keywords: Catastrophic health expenditure; out of pocket payment; Nepal


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Oladapo Ajayi ◽  
Demilade Olusola Ibirongbe ◽  
Tope Michael Ipinnimo ◽  
Oluremi Olayinka Solomon ◽  
Austin Idowu Ibikunle ◽  
...  

Background: Catastrophic health expenditure occurs when the burden of Out-of-pocket health expenditure has reached a certain level that a household must forego the expenditure on other basic needs of life to meet the health expenses of its member(s) of the household. Worldwide, over 44 million households suffer annually from financial catastrophe. This study intends to determine the prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure amongst rural and urban communities in Ekiti, Nigeria. Methodology: This is a comparative cross-sectional study of households within selected rural and urban communities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A pre-tested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data over a period of 4 months from a sample of 1,000 household heads, using a multistage sampling technique. Data obtained were then entered using the SPSS version 20 and analysed with STATA 12. Two different methodologies were used to calculate household catastrophic health expenditure, with sensitivity analysis done. Univariate analysis were used to describe the population in relation to relevant variables. Result: The prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure is high using the two methodological calculations. It was significantly higher in the rural areas, 18.5% than the urban areas, 12.8% (p=0.015) for first method; it was also higher in the rural areas, 8.3% compared to the urban areas, 2.5% (p&lt;0.001) for the second method. Conclusion: Prevalence of household catastrophic health expenditure is high in Nigeria, but worse in the rural areas. It’s therefore vital to establish financial and social intervention mechanisms that can protect households from incurring catastrophic health expenditure.


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Liao ◽  
Chaoyang Yan ◽  
Ying Ma ◽  
Jing Wang

BackgroundThe disability problem has become prominent with the acceleration of the global aging process. Individual disability is associated with economic conditions and contributes to family poverty. As disability will change over a long period of time and may even show distinct dynamic trends, we aimed to focus on activities of daily living (ADL) and classify functional disability trends. Moreover, we aimed to highlight and analyze the association between functional disability trends and economic conditions and explore the influencing factors.Materials and MethodsA total of 11,222 individuals who were 45 years old or older were included in four surveys conducted by the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Samples were analyzed after excluding those with missing key variables. The latent class growth model was used to classify the ADL trends. Two binary logistic regressions were established to observe the association between the ADL trends and follow-up economic conditions or catastrophic health expenditure trends.ResultsADL trends of older adults were classified into improving (25.4%), stabilizing (57.0%), and weakening ADL (17.6%). ADL trend was associated with follow-up poverty (p = 0.002) and catastrophic health expenditure trends (p &lt; 0.001). Compared with the improving ADL trend, the stabilizing ADL may have a negative influence on individuals' economic conditions (OR = 1.175, 95%CI = 1.060–1.303). However, a stabilizing ADL trend was less likely to bring about catastrophic health expenditures (OR = 0.746, 95%CI = 0.678–0.820) compared with an improving ADL trend.ConclusionThe improvement of functional disability would make the medical expense burden heavier but would still be beneficial for the prevention of poverty. A significant association was found between socioeconomic factors and poverty. Preventing the older adults from developing disability and illness, improving the compensation level of medical insurance, and optimizing the long-term care insurance and the primary healthcare system can potentially contribute to the prevention of poverty. Meanwhile, focusing on people who are poor at early stages, women, middle-aged, low-educated, and in rural areas is important.


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