scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis and Catastrophic Health Expenditure in Iran

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Juyani ◽  
Dorsa Hamedi ◽  
Seyede Sedighe Hosseini Jebeli ◽  
Maryam Qasham

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>There are many disabling medical conditions which can result in catastrophic health expenditure. Multiple Sclerosis is one of the most costly medical conditions through the world which encounter families to the catastrophic health expenditures. This study aims to investigate on what extent Multiple sclerosis patients face catastrophic costs.</p><p><strong>METHOD:</strong> This study was carried out in Ahvaz, Iran (2014). The study population included households that at least one of their members suffers from MS. To analyze data, Logit regression model was employed by using the default software STATA12.</p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>3.37% of families were encountered with catastrophic costs. Important variables including brand of drug, housing, income and health insurance were significantly correlated with catastrophic expenditure.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>This study suggests that although a small proportion of MS patients met the catastrophic health expenditure, mechanisms that pool risk and cost (e.g. health insurance) are required to protect them and improve financial and access equity in health care.</p>

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farid Gharibi ◽  
Ali Imani ◽  
Koustuv Dalal

Abstract Background The present study was designed and conducted to evaluate multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment costs and the resulting economic impact imposed on MS patients in Iran. Methods This was a cross-sectional study, among randomly selected 300 MS patients, registered in the MS Association of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran (1 year after their treatment began). The regression analysis, ANOVA, T-test, and chi-square were used. Results The average amount of out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) by MS patients during the previous year was 1669.20 USD, most of which was spent on medication, rehabilitation care, and physician visits. Their mean annual income was 5182.84 USD. Fifty four percent of families with an MS patient suffer from catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and 44% experience poverty caused by the OOPs. Occupational status, having supplemental health insurance, and being residents of Tabriz significantly affect OOPs, CHE, and the resulting poverty (P < 0.05). Conclusion The catastrophic financial burden of health care costs on MS patients and their families justifies health policymakers to promote pre-payment systems and provide subsidies to less well-off patients to protect them from the unfairness of OOPs and its resulting CHE and poverty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-228
Author(s):  
Amalia Noviani

Catastrophic health expenditure is one of the challenges Indonesia faces in achieving Universal Health Coverage. Aside from being a financial disaster, the incident caused by out-of-pocket health expenditure exceeding a fixed limit can drive people into poverty. Unfortunately, the availability of the data causes the limitation of the study in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the association between catastrophic health expenditure and several social-economic factors by using the latest data of out-of-pocket expenditure collected at the individual level from the 2019 Susenas Module of Health and Housing. Using the Chi-square test, this study confirms a significant association between catastrophic health expenditures and the following social-economic factors: outpatient and inpatient service use, health insurance ownership, age, sex, marital status, educational level, work status, welfare status, type of area, and geographic location. From the logistic regression, the probability of the population to experience catastrophic health expenditure is higher for people in the following categories: use inpatient or outpatient services, do not have health insurance, are elderly, ever-married, not working, not poor, and live in the rural areas or Java island. Disaggregation by outpatient and inpatient service use shows the large gap in the probability of falling into catastrophic health expenditures. The probability for people who used inpatient service is more than four times people who never used the service. Meanwhile, for outpatient service, the probability is almost three times. Therefore, people can strengthen preventive care, especially those with low or no cost, to avoid falling into catastrophic health expenditure.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255354
Author(s):  
Taiwo A. Obembe ◽  
Jonathan Levin ◽  
Sharon Fonn

Background Out of Pocket (OOP) payment continues to persist as the major mode of payment for healthcare in Nigeria despite the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Although the burden of health expenditure has been examined in some populations, the impact of OOP among slum dwellers in Nigeria when undergoing emergencies, is under-researched. This study sought to examine the prevalence, factors and predictors of catastrophic health expenditure amongst selected slum and non-slum communities undergoing emergency surgery in Southwestern Nigeria. Methods The study utilised a descriptive cross-sectional survey design to recruit 450 households through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires in 2017. Factors considered for analysis relating to the payer were age, sex, relationship of payer to patient, educational status, marital status, ethnicity, occupation, income and health insurance coverage. Variables factored into analysis for the patient were indication for surgery, grade of hospital, and type of hospital. Households were classified as incurring catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), if their OOP expenditure exceeded 5% of payers’ household budget. Analysis of the data took into account the multistage sampling design. Results Overall, 65.6% (95% CI: 55.6–74.5) of the total population that were admitted for emergency surgery, experienced catastrophic expenditure. The prevalence of catastrophic expenditure at 5% threshold, among the population scheduled for emergency surgeries, was significantly higher for slum dwellers (74.1%) than for non-slum dwellers (47.7%) (F = 8.59; p = 0.019). Multiple logistic regression models revealed the significant independent factors of catastrophic expenditure at the 5% CHE threshold to include setting of the payer (whether slum or non-slum dweller) (p = 0.019), and health insurance coverage of the payer (p = 0.012). Other variables were nonetheless significant in the bivariate analysis were age of the payer (p = 0.017), income (p<0.001) and marital status of the payer (p = 0.022). Conclusion Although catastrophic health expenditure was higher among the slum dwellers, substantial proportions of respondents incurred catastrophic health expenditure irrespective of whether they were slum or non-slum dwellers. Concerted efforts are required to implement protective measures against catastrophic health expenditure in Nigeria that also cater to slum dwellers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guvenc Kockaya ◽  
Gülpembe Oguzhan ◽  
Zafer Çalşkan

Without any financial protection out of pocket health expenses are essential both because their increase causes difficulties in accessing higher quality health services for households and more importantly because it complicates access to most basic health services. As a result of the Health Transformation Program in practice in the Turkish healthcare system since 2003, significant changes have been done in all layers of the health system. Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) publishes the ratio of households that bear catastrophic health expenditures since 2002. According to TurkStat data, the ratio of households with catastrophic expenditure has fallen from 0.81% in 2002 to 0.17% in 2011 with the health transformation project. However, it has started to rise since 2012 and has reached 0.31% in 2014. This study aims to evaluate the expenditure items that may have caused the rise of the ratio of households with catastrophic health expenditures since 2012, which had previously dropped with the Health Transformation Program that has caused fundamental changes in health policies. Methodology and definitions presented in the article named “Distribution of health payments and catastrophic expenditures: Methodology” by Ke Xu published by the World Health Organization in 2005 have been used. Percentages of health expenditure items among the total expenditure of households with positive health expenditure and households with catastrophic health expenditure between 2007 and 2014 have been evaluated using descriptive analysis. Findings have been interpreted in light of the health policies in practice between 2007 and 2014. An overview of the impact of the health policies reveals that medicine expenditures have decreased both for household and public health expenditures. Despite the impact of policies on the pharmaceutical industry was criticized by the industry, the positive impact can be seen by the decrease in the spending on medicine for households spending on health. Hospital service with positive health expenditure is seen to decrease health expenditure. The reasons for the increase in households with catastrophic health expenditure need further research. As a result, the study strives to discuss the possible policy reasons for the observed effects.


Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minsung Sohn ◽  
Xianhua Che ◽  
Hee-Jung Park

This study examined the effects of healthcare inequality on personal health. It aimed to determine how health insurance type and income level influence catastrophic health expenditure and unmet healthcare needs among South Koreans. Unbalanced Korean Health Panel data from 2011 to 2015, including 33,374 adults, were used. A time-trend and panel regression analysis were performed. The first to identify changes in the main variables and, the second, mediating effects of unmet healthcare needs and catastrophic health expenditure on the relationship between health insurance type, income level, and health status. The independent variables were: high-, middle-, low-income employee insured, high-, middle-, low-income self-employed insured, and medical aid. The dependent variable was health status, and the mediators were unmet needs and catastrophic health expenditure. The medical aid beneficiaries and low-income self-employed insured groups demonstrated a higher probability of reporting poor health status than the high-income, insured group (15.6%, 2.2%, and 2.3%, respectively). Participants who experienced unmet healthcare needs or catastrophic health expenditure were 10.7% and 5.6% higher probability of reporting poor health, respectively (Sobel test: p < 0.001). National policy reforms could improve healthcare equality by integrating insurance premiums based on income among private-sector employees and self-employed individuals within the health insurance network.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan Liu ◽  
Hong Zhu ◽  
Jiahui Wang ◽  
Xinye Qi ◽  
Miaomiao Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background By 2013, several regions in China had introduced health insurance integration policies. However, few studies addressed the impact of medical insurance integration in China. This study investigates the catastrophic health expenditure and equity in the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure by addressing its potential determinants in both integrated and non-integrated areas in China in 2013. Methods The primary data are drawn from the fifth China National Health Services Survey in 2013. The final sample comprises 19,788 households (38.4%) from integrated areas and 31,797 households (61.6%) from non-integrated areas. A probit model is employed to decompose inequality in the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure in line with the methodology used for decomposing the concentration index. Results The incidence of catastrophic health expenditure in integrated areas is higher than in non-integrated areas (13.87% vs. 13.68%, respectively). The concentration index in integrated areas and non-integrated areas is − 0.071 and − 0.073, respectively. Average household out-of-pocket health expenditure and average capacity to pay in integrated areas are higher than those in non-integrated areas. However, households in integrated areas have lower share of out-of-pocket expenditures in the capacity to pay than households in non-integrated areas. The majority of the observed inequalities in catastrophic health expenditure can be explained by differences in the health insurance and householders’ educational attainment both in integrated areas and non-integrated areas. Conclusions The medical insurance integration system in China is still at the exploratory stage; hence, its effects are of limited significance, even though the positive impact of this system on low-income residents is confirmed. Moreover, catastrophic health expenditure is associated with pro-poor inequality. Medical insurance, urban-rural disparities, the elderly population, and use of health services significantly affect the equity of catastrophic health expenditure incidence and are key issues in the implementation of future insurance integration policies.


Open Medicine ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rytis Leonavičius ◽  
Virginija Adomaitienė

AbstractDespite that the prevalence of depression has been thoroughly analyzed in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and affects approximately 15%–20% of the MS population, attention paid to social activities concomitant with anxiety is still too sporadic. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of anxiety and social activities aggraded/aggravated with anxiety in the MS population in Lithuania and to analyze how it correlates with socio-demographic factors, clinical outcomes of MS and depression. Three hundred twelve MS patients took part in this study; anxiety prevalence was pointed in 20.2%. Only 23.4% of the study population was socially active. Our study shows a significant level of anxiety and low level of social activity in people with MS. Anxiety in MS patients was strongly related with younger age, shorter MS duration, prevalence of depression and lower level of social activity. A higher level of social activity was significantly related with older urban MS patients who indicated family status as living together and longer MS duration.


Author(s):  
Razieh Ahmadi ◽  
Milad Shafiei ◽  
Hosein Ameri ◽  
Roohollah Askari ◽  
Hossein Fallahzadeh

Introduction: One of the fundamental goals of health transportation plan (HTP) in Iran is to improve household’s financial protection against catastrophic health expenditures (CHE). The aim of this study was to calculate the percentage of catastrophic health expenditures after implementing the plan and compare it with CHE before the plan for the same households. Methods: Data were collected through face-to-face interviews for 400 households. The CHE was calculated using the WHO approach, and relationships between CHE and the variables (having member ≥65 years old, having member ≤5 years old, having disabled member, economic status, health insurance status, dentistry services usage, and inpatient and outpatient services usage) were examined by the Fisher’s exact test. Moreover, the impacts of the variables on CHE were assessed by logistic regression model. Stata version 15 was used for data analyses. Results: The exposure of the households to CHE increased from 8.3% in 2011 to 14.2% in 2020, and percentage of the impoverished households due to health expenditures in 2020 was more than that of the 2011 (4.3% vs 7.5%). The economic status, having members ≥65 years, and using dental and inpatient services were the key factors determining the CHE. The most important determinant affecting the exposure to CHE was dental services utilization in 2011 (92.64) and 2020 (122.68). Conclusion: The results showed a negative incremental change for the households facing CHE in this period. The dental and inpatient services need to be more widely covered by basic health insurance and households having members ≥65 years along with the poor households should be exempted from paying some of the healthcare expenditures for improving their financial protection against CHE.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiahui Wang ◽  
Xiao Tan ◽  
Xinye Qi ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Huan Liu ◽  
...  

Background: In moving toward universal health coverage in China, it is crucial to identify which populations should be prioritized for which interventions rather than blindly increasing welfare packages or capital investments. We identify the characteristics of vulnerable groups from multiple perspectives through estimating catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and recommend intervention priorities.Methods: Data were from National Health Service Survey conducted in 2003, 2008, and 2013. According to the recommendation of WHO, this study adopted 40% as the CHE threshold. A binary regression was used to identify the determinants of CHE occurrence; a probit model was used to obtain CHE standardized incidence under the characteristics of single and two dimensions in 2013.Results: The total incidence of CHE in 2013 was 13.9%, which shows a general trend of growth from 2003 to 2013. Families in western and central regions and rural areas were more at risk. Factors related to social demography show that households with a female or an unmarried head of household or with a low socioeconomic status were more likely to experience CHE. Households with older adults aged 60 and above had 1,524 times higher likelihood of experiencing CHE. Among the health insurance schemes, the participants covered by the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme had the highest risk compared with the participants of all basic health insurance schemes. Households with several members seeking outpatient, inpatient care or with non-communicable diseases were more likely to experience CHE. Households with members not seeing a doctor or hospitalized despite the need for it were more likely to experience CHE. Characteristics such as a household head with characteristics related to low socioeconomic status, having more than two hospitalized family members, ranked high. Meanwhile, the combination of having illiterate household heads and with being covered by other health insurance plans or by none ranked the first place. Cancer notably caused a relatively high medical expenditure among households with CHE.Conclusion: In China, considering the vulnerability of the population across different dimensions is conducive to the alleviation of high CHE. Furthermore, people with multiple vulnerabilities should be prioritized for intervention. Identifying and targeting them to offer help and support will be an effective approach.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e026638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixia Duan ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
Chengguo Wu ◽  
Qingya Wang ◽  
Ya Yu ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo investigate the extent and associations of patient/diagnostic delay and other potential factors with catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) for tuberculosis (TB) care in Chongqing municipality, China.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingFour counties of Chongqing municipality, China.ParticipantsA total of 1199 patients with active pulmonary TB beyond 16 years and without mental disorders were consecutively recruited in the four counties’ designated TB medical institutions.Outcome measuresThe incidence and intensity of CHE for TB care were described. The association between patients’ ‘sociodemographic and clinical characteristics such as patient delay, diagnostic delay, forms of TB, health insurance status and hospitalisation and CHE were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.ResultsThe incidence of CHE was 52.8% and out-of-pocket (OOP) payments were 93% of the total costs for TB care. Compared with patients without delay, the incidence and intensity of CHE were higher in patients who had patient delay or diagnostic delay. Patients who experienced patient delay or diagnostic delay, who was a male, elderly (≥60 years), an inhabitant, a peasant, divorced/widow, the New Cooperative Medical Scheme membership had greater risks of incurring CHE for TB care. Having a higher educational level appeared to be a protective factor. However, hospitalisation was not associated with CHE after controlling for other variables.ConclusionThe incidence and intensity of CHE for TB care are high, which provides baseline data about catastrophic costs that TB-related households faced in Chongqing of China. Variety of determinants of CHE implicate that it is essential to take effective measures to promote early seeking care and early diagnosis, improve the actual reimbursement rates of health insurance, especially for outpatients, and need more fine-tuned interventions such as precise poverty alleviation to reduce catastrophic costs of the vulnerable population.


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