An analysis of financial protection and financing incidence of out-of-pocket health expenditures in Kazakhstan from 2018 to 2021.

Universal health coverage relies on providing essential medical services and shielding individuals from financial risks. Our study assesses the progressivity of out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, identifies factors contributing to healthcare expenditure inequality, and examines catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) prevalence in Kazakhstan from 2018 to 2021. Using retrospective analysis of National Statistics Bureau data, we employed STATA 13 version for calculations CHE incidence, progressivity, Lorenz and concentration curves. In 2020-2021, OOP expenditures in Kazakhstan decreased, reflecting a nearly twofold reduction in the CHE incidence to 1.32% and 1.24%, respectively. However, during these years, we observe a transition towards a positive trend in the Kakwani index to 0.003 and 0.005, respectively, which may be explained by household size and education level factors. Increased state financing and quarantine measures contributed to reduced OOP payments. Despite a low healthcare expenditure share in gross domestic product, Kazakhstan exhibits a relatively high private healthcare spending proportion. The low CHE incidence and proportional expenditure system suggest private payments do not significantly impact financial resilience, prompting considerations about the role of government funding and social health insurance in the financing structure.

Assessing catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment in adult asthma care: a cross-sectional study of patients attending six public health clinics in Klang District, Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: In Malaysia, asthma is a common chronic respiratory illness. Poor asthma control may increase out-of-pocket payment for asthma care, leading to financial hardships Malaysia provides Universal Health Coverage for the population with low user fees in the public health system to reduce financial hardship. We aimed to determine out-of-pocket expenditure on outpatient care for adult patients with asthma visiting government-funded public health clinics. We examined the catastrophic impact and medical impoverishment of these expenses on patients and households in Klang District, Malaysia. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional face-to-face questionnaire survey carried out in six government-funded public health clinics in Klang District, Malaysia. We collected demographic, socio-economic profile, and outpatient asthma-related out-of-pocket payments from 1003 adult patients between July 2019 and January 2020. Incidence of catastrophic health expenditure was estimated as the proportion of patients whose monthly out-of-pocket payments exceeded 10% of their monthly household income. Incidence of poverty was calculated as the proportion of patients whose monthly household income fell below the poverty line stratified for the population of the Klang District. The incidence of medical impoverishment was estimated by the change in the incidence of poverty after out-of-pocket payments were deducted from household income. Predictors of catastrophic health expenditure were determined using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: We found the majority (80%) of the public health clinic attendees were from low-income groups, with 41.6% of households living below the poverty line. About two-thirds of the attendees reported personal savings as the main source of health payment. The cost of transportation and complementary-alternative medicine for asthma were the main costs incurred. The incidences of catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment were 1.69% and 0.34% respectively. The only significant predictor of catastrophic health expenditure was household income. Patients in the higher income quintiles (Q2, Q3, Q4) had lower odds of catastrophic risk than the lowest quintile (Q1). Age, gender, ethnicity, and poor asthma control were not significant predictors. CONCLUSION: The public health system in Malaysia provides financial risk protection for adult patients with asthma. Although patients benefited from the heavily subsidised public health services, this study highlighted those in the lowest income quintile still experienced financial catastrophe and impoverishment, and the risk of financial catastrophe was significantly greater in this group. It is crucial to ensure health equity and protect patients of low socio-economic groups from financial hardship.

Catastrophic health expenditure and health-related quality of life among older adults in Shandong, China: the moderation effect of daily care by adult children.

BACKGROUND: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) has a considerable impact on older people in later life, but little is known about the relationship between catastrophic health expenditure and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between catastrophic health expenditure and health-related quality of life in older people, and to explore whether the daily care provided by adult children is a moderator in this relationship. METHODS: Data from the sixth National Health Services Survey in Shandong Province, China. The sample consisted of 8599 elderly people (age ≥ 60 years; 51.7% of female). Health-related quality of life was measured by the health utility value of EQ-5D-3 L. Interaction effects were analyzed using Tobit regression models and marginal effects analysis. RESULTS: The catastrophic health expenditure prevalence was 60.5% among older people in Shandong, China. catastrophic health expenditure was significantly associated with lower health-related quality of life (ß= - 0.142, P < 0.001). We found that adult children providing daily care services to their parents mitigated the effect of catastrophic health expenditure on health-related quality of life among older people (ß = 0.027, P = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that catastrophic health expenditure was associated with health-related quality of life and the caring role of older adult children moderated this relationship. Reducing the damage caused by catastrophic health expenditure helps to improve health-related quality of life in older people. Adult children should increase intergenerational contact, provide timely financial and emotional support to reduce the negative impact of catastrophic health expenditure on health-related quality of life.

Efectividad de la vacuna antigripal para prevenir casos graves de gripe. Temporada 2022/2023 / Effectiveness of influenza vaccine in preventing severe cases of influenza: Season 2022/2023

Introducción: La gripe supone una importante carga en términos de morbimortalidad, siendo la vacunación una de las medidas más efectivas para su prevención. Por lo que el objetivo de este estudio es conocer la efectividad de la vacuna antigripal para prevenir casos de gripe grave en los pacientes ingresados en un hospital de tercer nivel durante la temporada 2022/23. Metodología: Estudio de casos y controles. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes hospitalizados con resultado positivo en una RT-PCR de gripe. Se consideró caso a aquellos que cumplieron criterio de caso grave (neumonía, sepsis, fallo multiorgánico, ingreso en la UCI o exitus). Quienes no los cumplían se consideraron controles. Se calculó la efectividad vacunal (EV) para prevenir los casos graves y su intervalo de confianza al 95%. Resultados: Un total de 403 pacientes ingresaron con gripe confirmada. Noventa y ocho (24,3%) de ellos desarrollaron gripe grave. Del total, el 50,6% fueron varones y el 47,1% fueron mayores de 65 años. La EV ajustada por tipo de gripe, edad y ciertas comorbilidades fue del 40,6% (−21,9-71,1). En un análisis segmentado, la vacuna de la gripe resultó efectiva para la prevención de los casos graves en todas las categorías. Resultó especialmente relevante en el grupo de 65 años o más (EVa=60,9%; −2,0-85,0) y en los pacientes con gripe A (EVa=56,7%; 1,5-80,9). Conclusiones: La vacunación antigripal redujo notablemente la aparición de casos graves de gripe en los pacientes hospitalizados, por tanto, sigue siendo la principal estrategia para reducir la morbimortalidad y los costes asociados.(AU)

Introduction: Influenza poses a significant burden in terms of morbidity and mortality, with vaccination being one of the most effective measures for its prevention. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in preventing cases of severe influenza in patients admitted to a tertiary hospital during the 2022/23 season. Methods: Case-control study. All hospitalised patients with a positive result in an RT-PCR for influenza were included. Those who met the criteria for a severe case (pneumonia, sepsis, multi-organ failure, admission to ICU or exitus) were considered cases. Those who did not meet these criteria were considered controls. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) to prevent severe cases and its 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results: A total of 403 patients were admitted with confirmed influenza. Of these, 98 (24.3%) developed severe influenza. Of the total, 50.6% were men and 47.1% were over 65 years of age. VE adjusted for influenza type, age and certain comorbidities was 40.6% (−21.9 to 71.1). In a segmented analysis, influenza vaccine was effective in preventing severe cases in all categories. It was particularly relevant in the 65+ age group (VEa=60.9%; −2.0 to 85.0) and in patients with influenza A (VEa=56.7%; 1.580.9). Conclusion: Influenza vaccination markedly reduced the occurrence of severe cases of influenza in hospitalised patients, therefore, it remains the main strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality and associated costs.(AU)

What we know and what we don't know about catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a severe condition with high mortality. Since its description in 1992, an important effort has been made to improve and disseminate knowledge on CAPS. Most of our current knowledge comes from the studies performed using the CAPS Registry, a database created in 2000 to gather as many cases as possible in order to better define this disease. It has demonstrated that this condition has multiple faces and is often triggered by a precipitating factor that leads to a thrombotic microangiopathy and cytokine storm involving almost any organ of the body. Analysis of the CAPS Registry has also shown that patients receiving anticoagulation, glucocorticoids and plasma exchange and/or IVIG have a better prognosis. However, there are still many unresolved questions. In this review we summarize what is known and what is still a matter of research in this condition.

Rural‒urban disparities in household catastrophic health expenditure in Bangladesh: a multivariate decomposition analysis.

BACKGROUND: Rural‒urban disparity in catastrophic healthcare expenditure (CHE) is a well-documented challenge in low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, limiting financial protection and hindering the achievement of the Universal Health Coverage target of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, the factors driving this divide remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to identify the key determinants of the rural‒urban disparity in CHE incidence in Bangladesh and their changes over time. METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the latest three rounds of the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey (2005, 2010, and 2016). CHE incidence among households seeking healthcare was measured using the normative food, housing, and utilities method. To quantify covariate contributions to the rural‒urban CHE gap, we employed the Oaxaca-Blinder multivariate decomposition approach, adapted by Powers et al. for nonlinear response models. RESULTS: CHE incidence among rural households increased persistently during the study period (2005: 24.85%, 2010: 25.74%, 2016: 27.91%) along with a significant (p-value ≤ 0.01) rural‒urban gap (2005: 9.74%-points, 2010: 13.94%-points, 2016: 12.90%-points). Despite declining over time, substantial proportions of CHE disparities (2005: 87.93%, 2010: 60.44%, 2016: 61.33%) are significantly (p-value ≤ 0.01) attributable to endowment differences between rural and urban households. The leading (three) covariate categories consistently contributing significantly (p-value ≤ 0.01) to the CHE gaps were composition disparities in the lowest consumption quintile (2005: 49.82%, 2010: 36.16%, 2016: 33.61%), highest consumption quintile (2005: 32.35%, 2010: 15.32%, 2016: 18.39%), and exclusive reliance on informal healthcare sources (2005: -36.46%, 2010: -10.17%, 2016: -12.58%). Distinctively, the presence of chronic illnesses in households emerged as a significant factor in 2016 (9.14%, p-value ≤ 0.01), superseding the contributions of composition differences in household heads with no education (4.40%, p-value ≤ 0.01) and secondary or higher education (7.44%, p-value ≤ 0.01), which were the fourth and fifth significant contributors in 2005 and 2010. CONCLUSIONS: Rural‒urban differences in household economic status, educational attainment of household heads, and healthcare sources were the key contributors to the rural‒urban CHE disparity between 2005 and 2016 in Bangladesh, with chronic illness emerging as a significant factor in the latest period. Closing the rural‒urban CHE gap necessitates strategies that carefully address rural‒urban variations in the characteristics identified above.

Exploring the driving forces and scenario analysis for catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The extent of healthcare expenditure within households stands as a crucial indicator in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). When out-of-pocket healthcare expenses surpass household income or become unduly burdensome, it serves as a significant socio-economic alarm, resulting in a reduced quality of life, a phenomenon referred to as 'catastrophic health expenditure (CHE).' Multiple factors can contribute to the occurrence of CHE. The study's objective was to identify the key uncertainties and driving forces influencing CHE to develop scenarios in Iran on the horizon of 2030. METHODS: This study was conducted between December 2021 and January 2023, data were collected through a literature review, and experts' opinions were gathered via questionnaires, interviews, and expert panels. The statistical population included experts in the fields of health policy, health economics, and futures studies. Scenario Wizard software and MICMAC analysis were employed for data analysis, providing valuable insights into potential future scenarios of health expenditures in Iran. RESULTS: Based on the results of the scoping review and semi-structured interview, 65 key factors in the fields of economics, politics, technology, social, and environmental were identified. The findings of the MICMAC analysis presented 10 key variables. Finally, six main scenario spaces are depicted using Scenario Wizard. These scenarios included catastrophic cost crises, sanction relief, selective information access, technological ambiguity, induced demand management, and incremental reforms. CONCLUSIONS: Each of the six drawn scenarios provides images of the future of health expenditure in Iranian households on the horizon of 2030. The worst-case scenario from all scenarios was scenario one, with the most probable and critical features to derive Iran's health expenditures. The current study is a valuable addition to the literature depicting the key drivers that all developing nations can consider to decrease exposing households to catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures.

The effectiveness of a government-sponsored health protection scheme in reducing financial risks for the below-poverty-line population in Bangladesh.

The Government of Bangladesh is piloting a non-contributory health protection scheme called Shasthyo Surokhsha Karmasuchi (SSK) to increase access to quality essential healthcare services for the below-poverty-line (BPL) population. This paper assesses the effect of the SSK scheme on out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for healthcare, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and economic impoverishment of the enrolled population. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in Tangail District, where the SSK was implemented. From August 2019 to March 2020, a total of 2315 BPL households (HHs) (1170 intervention and 1145 comparison) that had at least one individual with inpatient care experience in the last 12 months were surveyed. A household is said to have incurred CHE if their OOPE for healthcare exceeds the total (or non-food) HH's expenditure threshold. Multiple regression analysis was performed using OOPE, incidence of CHE and impoverishment as dependent variables and SSK membership status, actual BPL status and benefits use status as the main explanatory variables. Overall, the OOPE was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the intervention areas (Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) 23 366) compared with the comparison areas (BDT 24 757). Regression analysis revealed that the OOPE, CHE incidence at threshold of 10% of total expenditure and 40% of non-food expenditure and impoverishment were 33% (P < 0.01), 46% (P < 0.01), 42% (P < 0.01) and 30% (P < 0.01) lower, respectively, in the intervention areas than in the comparison areas. Additionally, HHs that utilized SSK benefits experienced even lower OOPE by 92% (P < 0.01), CHE incidence at 10% and 40% threshold levels by 72% (P < 0.01) and 59% (P < 0.01), respectively, and impoverishment by 27% at 10% level of significance. These findings demonstrated the significant positive effect of the SSK in reducing financial burdens associated with healthcare utilization among the enrolled HHs. This illustrates the importance of the nationwide scaling up of the scheme in Bangladesh to reduce the undue financial risk of healthcare utilization for those in poverty.

Risk of secondary primary malignancies in survivors of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A nationwide population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the cancer types and risk factors of secondary primary malignancy (SPM) in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in Taiwan. METHODS: Using National Health Insurance Research Dataset and catastrophic illness registry, we enrolled newly diagnosed UTUC patients from 2000 to 2013. Those without catastrophic illness registration were excluded from the study. The cancer types and hazard ratios (HRs) of subsequent SPMs were calculated according to the antecedent malignancy. We analyzed the risk factors for developing SPMs using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: A total of 9050 UTUC patients were registered and 2187 (24.2%) patients developed SPMs during the study period. As compared with primary UTUC, the relative risk ratios of SPM was 2.5 folds and 18% higher in those with antecedent non-UC malignancy and with bladder cancer history, respectively. Totally, 387 (37.8%) of 1022 UTUC patients with antecedent non-UC malignancy developed subsequent SPM after UTUC diagnosis. The antecedent and subsequent cancer types are similar and kidney cancer is most common, followed by hepatoma. Multivariate analysis showed that a history of antecedent non-UC malignancy is the most unfavorable factor for SPM development (HR, 2.50; 95% CI, 2.23-2.81), followed by liver disease, male gender, antecedent bladder cancer history, age ≥ 75 years, and chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our study, conducted in Taiwan and involving 9050 UTUC patients, meticulously examined the types of SPM and the associated risk factors. Our research unearthed several pivotal discoveries: a preceding history of non-UC malignancies emerged as the single most influential factor contributing to the occurrence of subsequent cancers, followed by liver disease, male gender, antecedent bladder cancer history, age ≥75 years, and chronic kidney disease. Futhermore, kidney cancer emerged as the predominant subsequent malignancy, closely trailed by hepatoma..

From the local disparities to national realities: Mapping and multilevel modeling of catastrophic health expenditure in Bangladesh using HIES 2016.

In developing nations, catastrophic health expenditures have become an all-too-common occurrence, threatening to push households into impoverishment and poverty. By analyzing the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016, which features a sample of 46,080 households, this study provides a comprehensive district-by-district analysis of the variation in household catastrophic health expenditures and related factors. The study utilizes a multilevel logistic regression model, which considers both fixed and random effects to identify factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure. The findings of the study indicate that districts located in the eastern and southern regions are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing catastrophic health expenditures. A potential explanation for this trend may be attributed to the high prevalence of chronic diseases in these districts, as well as their economic conditions. The presence of chronic diseases (AOR 5.45 with 95% CI: 5.14, 5.77), presence of old age person (AOR 1.50 with 95% CI: 1.39, 1.61), place of residence (AOR 1.40 with 95% CI: 1.14, 1.73) are found to be highly associated factors. Additionally, the study reveals that the thresholds used to define catastrophic health expenditures exhibit substantial variation across different regions, and differ remarkably from the threshold established by the WHO. On average, the thresholds are 23.12% of nonfood expenditure and 12.14% of total expenditure. In light of these findings, this study offers important insights for policymakers and stakeholders working towards achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals in Bangladesh.

The association between dual sensory loss and healthcare expenditure: Mediating effect of depression.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested the dual sensory loss (DSL) is linked to depression, and that they are associated with higher healthcare expenditures, respectively. However, the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures remains ambiguous. OBJECTIVES: The current study aims to examine the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures as well as catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) among Chinese people aged 45 and above. METHODS: We first utilized the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) 2018 to obtain data from a total of 13,412 Chinese individuals aged 45 and above to conduct a cross-sectional study. DSL was defined as a combined variable of self-reported vision loss and hearing loss. Depression was measured using The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). The healthcare expenditures, including outpatient out-of-pocket cost and inpatient out-of-pocket cost, were obtained from the Harmonized CHARLS section. CHE were defined as out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending equal to or higher than 40 % of a household's capacity to pay. A Tobit linear regression with three models and a path analysis were conducted to estimate the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures and CHE. Then we utilized 2011CHARLS and 2018CHARLS to present a longitudinal analysis. A path analysis was conducted to estimate the association between 2011DSL, 2018depression and 2018healthcare expenditures and CHE. RESULTS: Depression has a significant mediating effect between DSL and healthcare expenditures. (For outpatient OOP cost: a = 0.453, b = 23.559, c = 25.257, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 29.71 %; for inpatient OOP cost: a = 0.453, b = 13.606, c = 15.463, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 28.50 %; all P < 0.05). The mediating effect of depression also exists in the association between DSL and CHE (a = 0.453, b = 0.018, c = 0.043, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 15.90 %; P < 0.05). The mediation effect of depression on healthcare expenditures and CHE also exists in the longitudinal analysis using CHARLS 2011 and CHARLS 2018 (all P < 0.05). LIMITATIONS: The DSL status were based on self-report and we used 2018CHARLS to conduct the study, which may cause some bias. CONCLUSION: Significant mediating effect of depression exists between DSL and higher healthcare expenditures and CHE. The mental health of elder people with DSL should be focused on, and we should have an overall viewpoint on the topic of healthcare expenditures and CHE.

Prevalence and Determinants of Catastrophic Healthcare Expenditures in Iran From 2013 to 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Protecting people against financial hardship caused by illness stands as a fundamental obligation within healthcare systems and constitutes a pivotal component in achieving universal health coverage. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and determinants of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) in Iran, over the period of 2013 to 2019. METHODS: Data were obtained from 7 annual national surveys conducted between 2013 and 2019 on the income and expenditures of Iranian households. The prevalence of CHE was determined using a threshold of 40% of household capacity to pay for healthcare. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify the determinants influencing CHE. RESULTS: The prevalence of CHE increased from 3.60% in 2013 to 3.95% in 2019. In all the years analyzed, the extent of CHE occurrence among rural populations exceeded that of urban populations. Living in an urban area, having a higher wealth index, possessing health insurance coverage, and having employed family members, an employed household head, and a literate household head are all associated with a reduced likelihood of CHE (p<0.05). Conversely, the use of dental, outpatient, and inpatient care, and the presence of elderly members in the household, are associated with an increased probability of facing CHE (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Throughout the study period, CHE consistently exceeded the 1% threshold designated in the national development plan. Continuous monitoring of CHE and its determinants at both household and health system levels is essential for the implementation of effective strategies aimed at enhancing financial protection.

Regional catastrophic health expenditure and health inequality in China.

Background: Catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) can trigger illness-caused poverty and compound poverty-caused illness. Our study is the first regional comparative study to analyze CHE trends and health inequality in eastern, central and western China, exploring the differences and disparities across regions to make targeted health policy recommendations. Methods: Using data from China's Household Panel Study (CFPS), we selected Shanghai, Henan and Gansu as representative eastern-central-western regional provinces to construct a unique 5-year CHE unbalanced panel dataset. CHE incidence was measured by calculating headcount; CHE intensity was measured by overshoot and CHE inequality was estimated by concentration curves (CC) and the concentration index (CI). A random effect model was employed to analyze the impact of household head socio-economic characteristics, the household socio-economic characteristics and household health utilization on CHE incidence across the three regions. Results: The study found that the incidence and intensity of CHE decreased, but the degree of CHE inequality increased, across all three regions. For all regions, the trend of inequality first decreased and then increased. We also revealed significant differences across the eastern, central and western regions of China in CHE incidence, intensity, inequality and regional differences in the CHE influencing factors. Affected by factors such as the gap between the rich and the poor and the uneven distribution of medical resources, families in the eastern region who were unmarried, use supplementary medical insurance, and had members receiving outpatient treatment were more likely to experience CHE. Families with chronic diseases in the central and western regions were more likely to suffer CHE, and rural families in the western region were more likely to experience CHE. Conclusions: The trends and causes of CHE varied across the different regions, which requires a further tilt of medical resources to the central and western regions; improved prevention and financial support for chronic diseases households; and reform of the insurance reimbursement policy of outpatient medical insurance. On a regional basis, health policy should not only address CHE incidence and intensity, but also its inequality.

Laos' Social Health Insurance (SHI) program's impact on older people's accessibility and financial security against catastrophic health expense.

Laos has introduced various SHI schemes for multiple groups of the population, such as government officials and other population groups under the NHI schemes. There is no specific health insurance policy for this group of people who need special health services and may have a higher possibility of entering financial catastrophe. This study aims to assess the impact of SHI schemes on accessibility and financial catastrophe against catastrophic health expenditures for older people in Laos. A structured questionnaire has been used to retrieve information from 400 older people across 39 villages in Kaysone Phomvihane District, Savannakhet province, the largest province in Laos. In the analytical process, this study used a cross-sectional study design and binary logistic regression models to predict the likelihood of accessing health facilities and experiencing financial catastrophe. The study outcome shows that the increase in age, occupation, number of older people within a household, and presence of chronic conditions increase the likelihood of using health services. Despite the existence of various SHI schemes, this study found that 74 out of 165 households reported using health services experienced catastrophic health expenditure. Several characteristics are associated with catastrophic health expenditure: age, income level, and gender are prone to suffer from catastrophic health expenditure. The difficult problems stem from the absence of comprehensive legislation regarding the older population. Recommendations for policymakers in various timeframes have been made, which cover short- and long-term policy proposals, including providing a specialized lane or fast-track for an older population, building health facilities exclusively for older people, and providing transportation services for older individuals living alone.

Hardship financing, productivity loss, and the economic cost of illness and injury in Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: Financial risk protection is a core dimension of universal health coverage. Hardship financing, defined as borrowing and selling land or assets to pay for healthcare, is a measure of last recourse. Increasing indebtedness and high interest rates, particularly among unregulated money lenders, can lead to a vicious cycle of poverty and exacerbate inequity. METHODS: To inform efforts to improve Cambodia's social health protection system we analyze 2019-2020 Cambodia Socio-economic Survey data to assess hardship financing, illness and injury related productivity loss, and estimate related economic impacts. We apply two-stage Instrumental Variable multiple regression to address endogeneity relating to net income. In addition, we calculate a direct economic measure to facilitate the regular monitoring and reporting on the devastating burden of excessive out-of-pocket expenditure for policy makers. RESULTS: More than 98,500 households or 2.7% of the total population resorted to hardship financing over the past year. Factors significantly increasing risk are higher out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures, illness or injury related productivity loss, and spending of savings. The economic burden from annual lost productivity from illness or injury amounts to US$ 459.9 million or 1.7% of GDP. The estimated household economic cost related to hardship financing is US$ 250.8 million or 0.9% of GDP. CONCLUSIONS: Such losses can be mitigated with policy measures such as linking a catastrophic health coverage mechanism to the Health Equity Funds, capping interest rates on health-related loans, and using loan guarantees to incentivize microfinance institutions and banks to refinance health-related, high-interest loans from money lenders. These measures could strengthen social health protection by enhancing financial risk protection, mitigating vulnerability to the devastating economic effects of health shocks, and reducing inequities.

Measuring the financial impact of disabilities in India (an analysis of national sample survey data).

BACKGROUND: People with disabilities are vulnerable because of the many challenges they face attitudinal, physical, and financial. The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2006) recognizes that Persons with Disabilities are valuable human resources for the country and seeks to create an environment that provides equal opportunities, and protection of their rights, and full. There are limited studies on health care burden due to disabilities of various types. AIM: The present study examines the socioeconomic and state-wise differences in the prevalence of disabilities and related household financial burden in India. METHODS: Data for this study was obtained from the National Sample Survey (NSS), 76th round Persons with Disabilities in India Survey 2018. The survey covered a sample of 1,18,152 households, 5,76,569 individuals, of which 1,06,894 of had any disability. This study performed descriptive statistics, and bivariate estimates. RESULTS: The finding of the analysis showed that prevalence of disability of any kind was 22 persons per 1000. Around, one-fifth (20.32%) of the household's monthly consumption expenditure was spent on out-of-pocket expenditure for disability. More than half (57.1%) of the households were pushed to catastrophic health expenditure due to one of the members being disabled. Almost one-fifth (19.1%) of the households who were above the poverty line before one of members was treated for disability were pushed below the poverty line after the expenditure of the treatment and average percentage shortfall in income from the poverty line was 11.0 percent due to disability treatment care expenditure. CONCLUSION: The study provides an insight on the socioeconomic differentials in out-of-pocket expenditure, catastrophic expenditure for treatment of any kind of disability. To attain SDG goal 3 that advocates healthy life and promote well-being for all at all ages, there is a need to recognize the disadvantaged and due to disability.

Incidence and determinants of out-of-pocket health expenditure in Ethiopia 2012-16.

This study assesses the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and identifies the significant factors that expose households to higher levels of out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure. Data from the fifth and the sixth Ethiopian National Health Accounts household surveys, which were conducted in 2012-13 and 2015-16, respectively, are used. The incidence of CHE is estimated using both the capacity-to-pay and the budget share approaches. To ensure the robustness of our findings, both unconditional and conditional quantile estimators are adopted as multivariate regression techniques to estimate the impact of socio-economic variables on the distribution of households' OOP expenditure. Our findings show that the incidence of CHE in Ethiopia ranges from 1.7% to 4.7% depending on the approach and the threshold adopted. Larger families, the unemployed, the extremely poor, those who seek care at private-owned providers and families with members affected by chronic illness face higher OOP expenditure. Hence, policy should target those with these identified socio-economic characteristics in the provision of financial risk protection such as fee waiver systems and subsidies.

Toward Universal Health Coverage: Regional Inequalities and Potential Solutions for Alleviating Catastrophic Health Expenditure in the Post-poverty Elimination Era of China.

BACKGROUND: This study took Beijing as an example to estimate the incidence and regional inequalities of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) in a megacity of China. METHODS: This study used data from the Health Services Survey Beijing (HSSB) 2018. Logistic regressions were used to investigate the risk factors for experiencing CHE, and concentration curves, the concentration index and its decomposition method based on probit models were used to estimate the inequalities in CHE. RESULTS: CHE occurred in 25.51% of the households of the outer suburb villages, 6.78% of the households of the inner-city area communities, 17.10% of the households of the villages of the inner-city areas, and 11.91% of the households of the communities of the outer suburbs. In areas in the outer suburbs, households with private insurance coverage were associated with a lowered risk of CHE, and lower educational attainment and lower occupational class were related to an increasing risk of CHE. This study also discovered pro-rich financing disparities in CHE in Beijing, with the outer suburbs having the highest levels of CHE disparity. When it comes to the observed contributions of disparities in CHE, a significant portion of them is connected to the sorts of occupations, educational levels, and residential status. CONCLUSION: The impoverishment brought on by medical expenses and CHE must still be taken into account in the post-poverty elimination era. The megacity of China was discovered to have significant regional differences in the incidence of pro-rich financing inequity in CHE. Disparities in socioeconomic status (SES), one of the controllable variables, may be a key area to address to lower the risk and minimize CHE inequality in megacities towards the path to UHC. Additionally, it is important to consider the financial protection impact of inclusive supplementary medical insurance on lowering the likelihood of CHE in the periphery areas.

Association of Catastrophic Health Expenditure With the Risk of Depression in Chinese Adults: Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, and it may have a lasting effect on one's whole life. As a form of financial hardship, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) may be associated with depression. However, current evidence about the relationship between CHE and the risk of depression is insufficient. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationship between CHE and the risk of depression among Chinese adults. METHODS: In this study, we used 3 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2012, 2016, and 2018. The CFPS are a nationally representative study covering 25 of 31 provinces in Chinese mainland and representing nearly 94.5% of the total population. We selected eligible household heads as participants, divided them into 2 groups by CHE events at baseline (exposed group: with CHE; unexposed group: without CHE), and followed them up. Households with CHE were defined as having out-of-pocket medical expenditures exceeding 40% of the total household nonfood expenditure, and people with depression were identified by the 8-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We first described the baseline characteristics and used logistical regression to estimate their effects on CHE events. Then, we used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs of depression among participants with CHE compared with those without CHE. Finally, we analyzed the subgroup difference in the association between CHE and depression. RESULTS: Of a total of 13,315 households, 9629 were eligible for analysis. Among them, 6824 (70.9%) were men. The mean age was 50.15 (SD 12.84) years. Only 987 (10.3%) participants had no medical insurance. The prevalence of CHE at baseline was 12.9% (1393/9629). Participants with a higher family economic level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.31) and with the highest socioeconomic development level (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34) had a higher prevalence of CHE than reference groups. During a median of 71 (IQR 69-72) person-months of follow-up, the depression incidence of participants with CHE (1.41 per 1000 person-months) was higher than those without CHE (0.73 per 1000 person-months). Multivariable models revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio for the incidence of depression in participants with CHE was 1.33 (95% CI 1.08-1.64), and this association appeared to be greater in participants without outpatient services (for interaction, P=.048). CONCLUSIONS: CHE was significantly associated with increased risk of depression among Chinese adults. Concentrated work should be done to monitor CHE, and more efforts to ensure financial protection need to be made to prevent depression, especially for people with high health care needs.

What are the factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure in Colombia? A multi-level analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for the guaranteeing of universal health service coverage without generating financial risks for households and individuals. In Colombia, there is no up-to-date information on the proportion of households that suffer catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), nor about how these expenses are associated with the place of residence. To contribute to an understanding of these issues, this study analyses the differences in the levels of CHE among Colombian households, and their association with the province and area (urban or rural) of residence. METHODS: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study using the 2016-2017 National Household Budget Survey, the household and population Census 2018, and the Register of Health Providers 2017. We used the definition of CHE proposed by the World Health Organization, with a threshold of 20%. We estimated the percentage of households facing CHE, and its intensity, and estimated a multi-level logistic regression model, using as the dependent variable the question of whether a household experienced CHE, and the province as a second level, where explanatory variables related to the province were included. RESULTS: We found differences in CHE levels according to the province of residence. At the national level, 1.77% of households experienced CHE, and households in the provinces of Boyacá (5.04%), Nariño (4.04%), Cauca (3.82%), and Chocó (3.78%) faced the highest CHE. For most households with CHE in these provinces, spending on medicines and medical consultations represented close to 50% of their out-of-pocket spending. The multi-level logistic regression model indicated that there are significant variations in CHE attributed to the provinces under study, where the contextual variables of hospital-bed density (AOR = 0.91; 95% CI 0.86-0.96) and incidence of multi-dimensional poverty (AOR = 1.13; 95% CI 1.01-1.30) were factors associated with CHE. For an urban household, 6.58% of the CHE variation is attributed to the province in question, while for a rural household the corresponding variation is 1.56%. CONCLUSIONS: The geographical location of the household is a key factor when studying CHE in Colombia, where rural households present higher levels of CHE, mainly in the delivery of medicines and medical consultations. The findings reveal the need to analyse financial protection at the local level and establish policies to protect households, especially poor households, from CHE.