scholarly journals Catastrophic Health Expenditures and Its Inequality in Households with Cancer Patients: A Panel Study

Processes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Munjae Lee ◽  
Kichan Yoon

This study aims to examine the determinants of catastrophic health expenditure in households with cancer patients by conducting a panel analysis of three-year data. Data are adopted from surveys administered by Korea Health Panel for 2012–2014. We conducted correspondence and conditional transition probability analyses to examine households that incurred catastrophic health expenditure, followed by a panel logit analysis. The analyses reveal three notable results. First, the occurrence of catastrophic health expenditure differs by age group, that is, the probability of incurring catastrophic health expenditure increases with age. Second, this probability is higher in households with National Health Insurance than those receiving medical care benefits. Finally, households without private health insurance report a higher occurrence rate. The findings suggest that elderly people with cancer have greater medical coverage and healthcare needs. Private health insurance contributes toward protecting households from catastrophic health expenditure. Therefore, future research is needed on catastrophic health expenditure with focus on varying age groups, healthcare coverage type, and private health insurance.

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.


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.


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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 121-121
Author(s):  
Wei Yang ◽  
Bo Hu

Abstract Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) has considerable effects on household living standards, but little is known regarding the impacts of CHE on people’s mental health. Using China as an example, this study examines the association between CHE and mental health and investigates whether and to what extent social health insurance (SHI) can lessen the impacts of CHE on mental health among older people aged over 60 in China. The data come from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011, 2013, and 2015, N = 13,166). We built fixed-effects quantile regression models to analyse the data. We found that incurring CHE has significantly detrimental effects on older people’s mental health, whereas the SHI demonstrates a protective effect. The observed protective effects of SHI are the strongest among those with relatively mild mental health problems, i.e., people whose CES-D scores are below the 50th percentile. Our findings provide empirical evidence that encourages the integration of psychologically informed approaches in health services. We also urge governments in low- and middle-income countries to consider more generous health financing mechanisms for those with higher healthcare needs.


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.


2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Hwa Lim ◽  
Sung Gyeong Kim ◽  
Eun Mi Lee ◽  
Sin Young Bae ◽  
Jae Hyun Park ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. e011747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Woo Choi ◽  
Tae Hyun Kim ◽  
Sung In Jang ◽  
Suk Yong Jang ◽  
Woo-Rim Kim ◽  
...  

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