Impacts of Smoking Ban Policies on Billiard Hall Sales in South Korea Using Objective Sales Information of a Credit Card Company: Quasi-Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Smoking ban policies (SBPs) are potent health interventions and offer the potential to influence antismoking behavior. The Korean government completely prohibited smoking in indoor sports facilities, including billiard halls, since the government revised the National Health Promotion Act in December 2017. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the impact of the SBP on the economic outcomes of indoor sports facilities, particularly billiard halls. METHODS: This study used credit card sales data from the largest card company in South Korea. Data are from January 2017 to December 2018. Monthly sales data were examined across 23 administrative neighborhoods in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. We conducted the interrupted time series model using the fixed effects model and the linear regression with panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE). RESULTS: The sales and transactions of billiard halls were not significantly changed after the introduction of the SBP in the full PCSE models. The R2 of the full PCSE model was 0.967 for sales and 0.981 for transactions. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of the SBP did not result in substantial economic gains or losses in the sales of billiard halls. In addition to existing price-based policies, the enhanced SBP in public-use facilities, such as billiard halls, can have a positive synergistic effect on reducing smoking prevalence and preventing secondhand smoke. Health policy makers can actively expand the application of SBPs and make an effort to enhance social awareness regarding the necessity and benefits of public SBPs for both smokers and the owners of hospitality facilities.

The impact of coping strategies and positive resources on post-traumatic stress symptoms among bereaved families of the Sewol ferry disaster.

Introduction: This study investigated the long-term prevalence of, and factors associated with, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry disaster, in which 250 students lost their lives during a school excursion. Methods: Eight years after the disaster, 181 family members were surveyed, and the prevalence of clinical PTSD symptoms was estimated. The Positive Resources Test (POREST), the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and the Brief COPE were evaluated using self-report measures. The multivariable binomial logistic regression was used to identify protective and risk factors for PTSD. Results: PTSD symptoms were present in 49.7% of the family members 8 years after the incident. A one-point increase in the score on the optimism subscale of the POREST was associated with a 20.1% decreased likelihood of having clinical PTSD symptoms (OR = 0.799; p = 0.027; 95% CI = 0.655-0.975). Conversely, a one-point increase in the score on the avoidant subscale of Brief COPE was associated with a 13.2% increased likelihood of having clinical PTSD symptoms (OR = 1.132; p = 0.041; 95% CI = 1.005-1.274). Discussion: Our results provide evidence of the need for long-term mental health monitoring of bereaved families of disaster victims, along with valuable insights for the development of mental health intervention programs.

Mid-Term Strategic Plan for the Public Health and Medical Care Cooperation in the Korean Peninsula.

As extensive as the concept of and the resources required for 'Health for Korean Unification' are, and due to the limited access to information on the state of health and medical care in North Korea, discussion on 'Health for Korean Unification' has tended to be intermittent and lacked concrete action plans. In this article, we specifically distinguished areas of cooperation and selected five executable agenda that meet the goals of international development cooperation: 1) Health security; 2) Easing the burden of major diseases; 3) Resilient healthcare system; 4) R&D cooperation; 5) Sustainable cooperation system. Then we provided corresponding strategic priorities and operative directions, in consideration of future military and political sanctions against North Korea. The strategies we outline are sustainable, preemptive for problems that might affect lives of South and North Korean citizens, and satisfy the unmet needs of the North Korean health system. Throughout the process, we utilized a special platform, the 'Korean Peninsula Healthcare Cooperation Platform,' designed to enable continual communication across sectors engaged in public health and medical care. By doing so, we take the first step to actually carry out the 'Health for Korean Unification,' which tended to have remained on the discussion agenda.

Factors Associated With People's Accessibility to Mental Healthcare Services in Ukraine: Focusing on Household Head Vulnerability.

Objectives: This study examines the factors associated with access to mental healthcare services among people living in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine. Methods: The 2020 Ukraine Multi-Sector Needs Assessment conducted by REACH was subjected to frequency analysis, percentage analysis, and binary logistic regression to confirm the factors associated with accessibility to mental healthcare services among Ukrainian household heads. Results: Older household heads, heads with high accessibility to healthcare facilities, and those with low health expenditures were highly likely to have low access to mental healthcare services. Household heads' awareness of household members' medical assistance eligibility was significantly and positively associated with the former's mental healthcare accessibility. Conclusion: This study revealed the mental health vulnerability of people living in GCAs in Ukraine, in which the situation progresses from conflict to war. The need for mental healthcare, which is adversely affected by armed conflict, is expected to increase. Accordingly, further studies should clarify the demand for and methods to enhance mental healthcare services to ensure the timely provision of these services in the future.

A Pragmatic Randomized clinical trial: twice-weekly vs. thrice-weekly Incident hemoDialysis in Elderly patients (PRIDE): study protocol.

Background: The optimal frequency for hemodialysis in older adults with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has not been established. This study aims to investigate whether a twice-weekly dialysis schedule using an incremental approach can reduce hospitalization rates in the elderly with incident dialysis, compared with conventional thrice-weekly dialysis. Methods: We have designed a pragmatic randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of twice-weekly versus thrice-weekly hemodialysis in 428 ESKD individuals (dropout rate 20%) aged 60 years or older with residual kidney function (urine output, >500 mL/ day). The trial will be conducted across 18 referral hospital-based dialysis centers in Korea. Individual participants will be randomized to either a twice-weekly (with incremental approach) or thrice-weekly dialysis group and will be followed up for 24 months. The primary outcome of the study is all-cause hospitalization rate, while secondary outcomes include dialysis-specific hospitalization rates, mortality, quality of life, frailty, and cost-effectiveness. Participants have the flexibility to transfer to other dialysis centers as needed. The decision to increase dialysis frequency will be made by the treating physicians. The study is ongoing and will be completed in May 2026. Conclusion: This study will provide valuable insights into the benefits and risks of twice-weekly dialysis with an incremental approach in elderly with residual kidney function compared to thrice-weekly dialysis.

Current status and needs in the primary healthcare system in Yangon, Myanmar: a mixed-method evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Many low- and middle-income countries and international organisations have invested resources to strengthen primary health care (PHC). This study aimed to identify the challenges and unmet needs in the current PHC by assessing the experiences and perceptions of healthcare workers in three townships (Htan Ta Pin, Hmawbi, and Taikkyi) in Yangon, Myanmar. METHODS: The study was conducted among healthcare professionals and community leaders in three townships. Adopting a mixed-method approach, a cross-sectional health needs assessment survey was conducted for quantitative data (n = 66), and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted online for qualitative data. FINDINGS: Enhancing the management and leadership capacity had the lowest average score on the current achievement (2.81 out of 5 ratings) while strengthening infectious disease control service and accessibility was perceived as the highest mean on the priority of intervention (4.28) and the impact of the intervention (4.7). The FGDs revealed that while specific infrastructures and equipment were reported insufficient and necessary, the need for financial support has been the recurrent theme throughout the discussions. INTERPRETATION: Utilising the World Health Organisation's six building block frameworks, our findings suggest that a long-term targeted financial investment in the PHC system is critical in Myanmar through increasing healthcare expenditure per capita.

Challenges of COVID-19 prevention during protracted conflicts: differential adherence to preventive measures in "contact line" regions in eastern Ukraine.

Objectives: Despite the epidemiological importance of social vulnerabilities in compliance with preventive measures, little is known about the disproportional nature of preventive behaviors in crisis-affected populations. We examined adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors, focusing on social distancing measures in the conflict-affected regions in eastern Ukraine. Methods: From a multisectoral needs assessment conducted in 2020 using a household interview of a stratified simple random sample, we included 1,617 rural and urban households located in the government-controlled area. We performed multivariable binary logistic regression analysis with latent class analysis (LCA) to identify unmeasured patterns of classification of preventive measures using data from a cross-sectional survey. Results: The conflict-affected populations showed difficulty in complying with COVID-19 preventive measures due to losses of housing, partners, and access to food resources due to conflicts. Among the various preventive measures, wearing a face mask (88.1%) and washing hands more regularly (71.4%) were the most frequently reported. Compliance with social distancing was significantly lower in those who experienced the direct impacts of conflicts indicated by damaged accommodation or being widowed. Three different groups who showed distinctive patterns of employing COVID-19 preventive measures were identified via the LCA model, which were "highly complying group", "moderately complying group", and "face masks only group". The group membership was associated with a respondent's poverty status. Conclusion: The findings show the difficulty in compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures among conflict-affected populations indicating secondary impacts of the conflicts on preventive health behaviors. To mitigate the health impacts of conflicts, immediate attention is needed to address barriers to COVID-19 preventive measures among conflict-affected populations in Ukraine. This study suggests the need for public health strategies to improve preventive health behaviors in conflict-affected populations under pandemics or large-scale outbreaks.

Influence of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Number of Inpatients with Acute Viral Respiratory Infections: Using Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

After the first COVID-19 patient was diagnosed, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and behavior change campaigns were implemented in South Korea. The social distancing policy restricted unnecessary gatherings and activities to prevent local transmission. This study aims to evaluate the effect of social distancing, a strategy for COVID-19 prevention, on the number of acute respiratory infection inpatients. This study used the number of hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infection from the Infectious Disease Portal of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) between the first week of January 2018, to the last week of January 2021. Intervention 1t represents the first patient occurrence of COVID-19, Intervention 2t represents the relaxing of the social distancing policy. We used acute respiratory infection statistics from Korea and segmented regression analysis was used. The analysis showed that the trend of the number of acute respiratory infection inpatients decreased after the implementation of the first patient incidence of COVID-19 due to prevention activities. After the relaxing of the social distancing policy, the number of inpatients with acute respiratory infections significantly increased. This study verified the effect of social distancing on the reduction in hospital admissions for acute respiratory viral infections.

Factors influencing injury or death due to traumatic events in Afghanistan's crisis-affected populations: a cross-sectional nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: Afghanistan, with one of the world's largest refugee populations, suffers an enormous burden of injury resulting in loss of life. This study aims to identify the epidemiology of injuries or death in the crisis-affected populations across Afghanistan and to investigate factors associated with injuries or deaths due to traumatic events. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study analysed Whole Afghanistan Assessment 2019 data. This survey geographically covered all 34 accessible provinces in Afghanistan. PARTICIPANTS: 31 343 displaced and shock-affected households in Afghanistan. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Injury or death of household members due to traumatic events. RESULTS: 2561 (8.2%) reported at least one household member had been injured or deceased because of a significant conflict or natural disaster in the past year. Households experienced significant events such as active conflict or violence (prevalence ratio, PR=5.575, p<0.001), earthquake (PR=3.118, p=0.004), flood (PR=1.534, p=0.008) and avalanche or heavy snowfall (PR=3.450, p<0.001) were significantly associated with injury or death. The likelihood of injury or death was significantly higher for long-distance households than for households living within a 5 km radius of the nearest healthcare facilities (6-10 km: PR=1.402, p=0.030; >10 km: PR=1.560, p=0.020). CONCLUSION: The study provides an epidemiological profile of injuries or death in crisis-affected populations across Afghanistan. Results also suggest that certain factors place the crisis-affected populations in Afghanistan at high risk for injuries or death, which can inform the development of surveillance and prevention programmes, the monitoring of patterns over time and the formulation of healthcare policies.

Evaluation of Salivary Biomarkers of Periodontal Disease Based on Smoking Status: A Systematic Review.

Saliva is a useful biomarker for diagnosing oral health conditions, including periodontal disease (PD). Smoking is a risk factor for PD. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the salivary biomarkers associated with PD based on smoking status. A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane, SCOPUS, and Web of Sciences databases was conducted up to 1 January 2021 using key terms relevant to the topic of our research and Cochrane methodology and improved with searching a gray literature resource. The methodological quality of all included studies was assessed with the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Seven studies were included. Smokers had increased levels of malondialdehyde, sialic acid, salivary cortisol, salivary interleukin 1ß, albumin, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP), and the pyridinoline cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), as well as decreased levels of superoxide dismutase, activity of lactate dehydrogenase, activity of enzyme activity of ß-glucuronidase, uric acid, matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8)/TIMP-1 ratio, and combinations of MMP-8 and ICTP. However, mixed results were observed some studies in detecting glutathione peroxidase, MMP-8, and MMP-14. The results were interpreted with caution because of limitations in the number of included studies and the study design. Some salivary biomarkers are potentially useful in combination or alone for diagnosing PD. Methodological and systematic studies are needed to develop more effective biomarkers.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on adults with sleep disturbance: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based therapy originally recommended for stress management. However, it is currently used to alleviate sleep disturbances. Therefore, this contemporary systematic review aimed to elucidate the clinical effects of MBSR on sleep quality and sleep-related daytime impairment in adults with sleep disturbances, including chronic insomnia disorders. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted using the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, AMED, Ovidembase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and four domestic databases: KoreaMed, KISS, KMbase and NDSL. The final search update was performed in June 2022. Two researchers independently selected relevant studies, assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data. RESULTS: Of the 7516 records searched, 20 RCTs and 21 reports were included. In the subgroup analysis, MBSR did not improve objective or subjective sleep quality in chronic insomnia and cancers. However, MBSR versus waitlist control might have been effective in improving subjective sleep quality, but with substantial heterogeneity (standardised mean difference=-0.32; 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.08; I2=71%). In addition, MBSR compared with active control did not improve the sleep-related daytime impairments including depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue and quality of life. The overall risk of bias included in this review was a concern because of performance and detection bias. CONCLUSIONS: MBSR might be ineffective for improving sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia and cancers. In addition, more than half of the RCTs included in this review had small sample sizes and were vulnerable to performance and detection biases. Therefore, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the clinical effects of MBSR in adults with sleep disturbances. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42015027963.

Effect of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Incidence of Infectious Eye Diseases: Analysis of Nationwide Infectious Disease Incidence Monitoring Data.

Objective: Social distancing has been confirmed to reduce the incidence of not only the COVID-19, but also the incidence of other diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of social distancing policies on the incidence of infectious eye diseases by monitoring their nationwide incidence data in all age groups. Methods: In this study, to analyse the impact of COVID-19 policy on IEDSC, the time periods were divided into two interventions. The first intervention was the first COVID-19 patient report in Korea on 19 January 2020. The second intervention was relaxation of the social distancing policy on 6 May 2020. Segmented regression analysis of the interrupted time series was used to assess COVID-19 policies on the IEDSC. Results: After the first incidence of a COVID-19 patient, IEDSCs decreased significantly in all age groups, while the relaxation of the social distancing policy increased IEDSCs significantly, mostly in all groups. Conclusion: In the post-COVID-19 era, we hope that national-level interventions such as reducing air pollution and employing precautionary measures will significantly reduce the financial burden of developing infectious ophthalmic diseases.

Non-Communicable Diseases and Transitioning Health System in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea during COVID-19 Lockdown.

While there are increasing concerns on COVID-19 situation in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea), little is known about North Korea's health system function for Non-Communicable Diseases. Given the scarcity of available evidence, a scoping review was conducted in peer review articles from MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science, and policy literatures from Rodongshinmun, state-run media in North Korea to analyze the North Korea health system and COVID-19 pandemic. The transition to a market economy is expected to deepen the gap between the rich and the poor over access to health care, causing a new type of health inequality in North Korea. COVID-19 lockdown intensified the DPRK's economic predicament exacerbating shortage of health financing on non-communicable diseases. The case study of mixed evidence from scoping review indicates that NCDs prevention and management are not functional in the transitioning health system under chronic economic crisis and isolation. This study indicates that NCDs prevention and management are not functional in the transitioning health system under chronic economic crisis and isolation. The destabilized markets under COVID-19 lockdown intensified the DPRK's economic predicament and exacerbated the chronic shortage of health financing especially to NCDs.

Factors Related to Oversleeping in Korean Young Adults, with a Focus on Sociodemographic Factors.

Young adults the year after high school experience changes in lifestyle and circumstances and tend to experience more oversleeping. However, there are few studies on oversleeping in young adults. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic factors related to oversleeping among young adults in Korea using nationally representative data. This study analyzed self-reported and cross-sectional data in 2016 from a sample of 1876 participants from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, which included respondents one year after high school graduation. Oversleeping was defined as sleeping 9 or more hours a day on average. Logistic regression models were analyzed to test a multivariate association between independent sociodemographic variables and oversleeping. Over one-tenth of young adults reported oversleeping. Oversleeping was associated with household income (OR = 0.99, p = 0.011) and smoking (OR = 1.52, p = 0.041). In addition, when compared to non-working college students, college students who were working (OR = 2.58, p = 0.021), non-students who were working (OR = 1.68, p = 0.048), and non-students who were not working (OR = 3.07, p < 0.001) were more likely to report oversleeping. Oversleeping among young adults was associated with major sociodemographic factors including household income (-), smoking (+), and academic and working status (+). These findings suggest the significant role of sociodemographic factors as predictors of oversleeping and emphasize the importance of examining various factors to achieve a better understanding of oversleeping in young adults.

Association between the Human Development Index and Confirmed COVID-19 Cases by Country.

It is important to understand the ultimate control of COVID-19 in all countries around the world in relation to the characteristics of developed countries, LDCs, and the variety of transmission characteristics of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19 with a focus on the Human Development Index (HDI). The units of analysis used for the current study were countries, and dataset were aggregated from multiple sources. This study used COVID-19 data from Our World in Data, the Global Health Security Index, and the WORLD BANK. A total of 171 countries were included in the analysis. A multi-variable linear regression with a hierarchical framework was employed to investigate whether the HDI is associated with confirmed COVID-19 cases after controlling for the demographic and healthcare system characteristics of the study countries. For Model 2, which controlled for demographic and healthcare system characteristics, HDI (ß = 0.46, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 2.64−10.87) and the number of physicians per 1000 people (ß = 0.34, p < 0.01, 95% CI = 0.21−0.75) had significant associations with the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. Countries with a high HDI level are able to conduct higher per capita testing, resulting in higher numbers of confirmed cases than in countries with lower HDI levels. This study has shown evidence that could be used by governments and international organizations to identify national characteristics and provide the international cooperation necessary to develop effective prevention and intervention methods to deal with the global pandemic.

Contributing Factors in Whether Displaced Households Want to Receive Humanitarian Information from Humanitarian Actors: Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment.

Due to political conflict, insurgency, and the COVID-19, the number of displaced households in need of humanitarian support in Iraq has increased. This study investigated factors related to desire of displaced households to receive humanitarian information. Data from the eighth round of the Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment was used. We classified the household displacement status, identifying levels and types of humanitarian information that the households sought, together with whether the households were impacted by COVID-19. We identified safety and security, housing, water and electricity services, education, health care, and levels of humanitarian assistance resulted in significant differences between internally displaced person (IDP) and returnee households in terms of interest in receiving humanitarian information. The desire to receive humanitarian information was related to whether household members were unemployed due to COVID-19, displacement status, and walking time to reach the nearest health care facility and marketplace. Returnees and IDPs in Iraq are facing a new crisis. Their individual, structural, and environmental vulnerabilities are increasing commensurately. New strategies such as strategies using online or mobile communication that provide humanitarian information are needed to provide humanitarian information to vulnerable groups such as those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, female heads of households, and those with health problems. In addition to traditional cash and voucher support, the use of the latest technologies such as smartphones and mobile clinics in humanitarian settings would be new strategies.

How public and private health insurance coverage mitigates catastrophic health expenditures in Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUND: The private health insurance (PHI) market in Republic of Korea has instituted indemnity insurance plans that provide partial reimbursements for some medical services or costs that are not covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI). To date, no study has estimated the extent to which PHI coverage lowers the economic burden of households' access to health care. The current study aims to evaluate the design of Korea's PHI system in terms of coverage using a catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) indicator and compare it with NHI. METHODS: This study determined the difference between the number of households that were subscribed to PHI and those that received reimbursements from PHI. Additionally, it compared the effects of reduced CHE by NHI benefits with PHI reimbursements. Furthermore, it compared PHI reimbursements based on income class. Finally, it analyzed the contribution of NHI and PHI to CHE reduction through a two-part model with hierarchical regression. RESULTS: The results indicated that of the 5644 households examined, 3769 subscribed to PHI, but only 246 households received reimbursements. Notably, NHI reduced CHE incidence by 15.17%, whereas PHI only reduced CHE by 1.22%. The NHI scheme indicated reduced inequality as it provided more benefits to the low-income class for their used medical services, whereas PHI paid more reimbursements to the high-income class. Accordingly, NHI coverage has protected households from CHE and improved equality to some extent; however, PHI coverage has had a relatively low effect on relieving CHE and has increased inequality. CONCLUSIONS: The indemnity health insurance plans of PHI companies in Korea only cover partial medical costs or services, and so, most patients do not receive reimbursements. Thus, Korea's PHI system needs to improve to provide benefits to patients more generously and alleviate their financial burden.

Expert Consensus on Measures to Promote Physical and Psychological Health among COVID-19-Related Healthcare Workers in Korea using Delphi Technique.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused health problems and distress among healthcare workers (HCWs), so supportive measures to promote their health and relieve distress are needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted two rounds of Delphi surveys with 20 COVID-19-related frontline healthcare professionals and public officials. The surveys evaluated means of supporting HCWs' health by improving health care systems and working environments in terms of effectiveness and urgency. The validity of the measures was assessed by calculating the content validity ratio. RESULTS: The top-priority measures to support HCWs were "secure isolation units capable of treating severe cases" in the facility infrastructure category, "secure nursing staff dedicated for patients in the intensive care units" in the personnel infrastructure category, "improve communication between central office and frontline field" in the cooperation system category, "support personal protective equipment and infection control supplies" in the aid supplies category, and "realization of hazard pay" in the physical/mental health and compensation category. CONCLUSION: There was consensus among the experts on the validity and priorities of policies in the facility, personnel, cooperation, supplies, and compensation categories regarding measures to promote COVID-19 related HCWs' health.

Financial burden of catastrophic health expenditure on households with chronic diseases: financial ratio analysis.

BACKGROUND: The financial status of households is vulnerable to chronic diseases which entail high medical expenses and income loss. Financial strain can be assessed by four indicators: a household surplus indicator, the liquid asset/debt ratio, a solvency indicator, and a liquidity indicator. We investigated the association between catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and financial ratio indicators in households with chronic diseases in South Korea. METHODS: This study applied thresholds to the financial ratios to determine the financial strain. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses to determine whether CHE is associated with financial strain. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between CHE and basic financial indicators, absolute finance size, using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: When CHE occurred, all financial ratio indicators deteriorated. However, this was not due to decreases in the absolute size of wealth and income, but rather the relative balance between finances. In particular, the loss of liquid assets was a major factor in the deterioration. In addition, all types of labor-related income deteriorated; only private transfer income increased. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that CHE in households with chronic diseases negatively impacts household finances. It was found that financial coping strategies are only resource consuming.