Researchers from Institute of Health Economics Discuss Findings in Health Services Research (Predictors of high out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure:…

Researchers from Institute of Health Economics Discuss Findings in Health Services Research (Predictors of high out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure: an analysis using Bangladesh household income and expenditure survey, 2010)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- Investigators discuss new findings in Health and Medicine - Health Services Research. According to news originating from Dhaka, Bangladesh, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Predictors of high out-of-pocket household healthcare expenditure are essential for creating effective health system finance policy. In Bangladesh, 63.3% of health expenditure is out-of-pocket and born by households."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Institute of Health Economics, "It is imperative to know what determines household health expenditure. This study aims to investigate the predicting factors of high out-of-pocket household healthcare expenditure targeting to put forward policy recommendations on equity in financial burden. Bangladesh household income and expenditure survey 2010 provides data for this study. Predictors of high out-of-pocket household healthcare expenditure were analyzed using multiple linear regressions. We have modeled non-linear relationship using logarithmic form of linear regression. Heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity were checked using Breusch-Pagan/Cook-Weishberg and VIF tests. Normality of the residuals was checked using Kernel density curve. We applied required adjustment for survey data, so that standard errors and parameters estimation are valid. Presence of chronic disease and household income were found to be the most influential and statistically significant ( p< 0.001) predictors of high household healthcare expenditure. Households in rural areas spend 7% less than urban dwellers. The results show that a 100% increase in female members in a family leads to a 2% decrease in household health expenditure. Household income, health shocks in families, and family size are other statistically significant predictors of household healthcare expenditure. Proportion of elderly and under-five members in the family show some positive influence on health expenditure, though statistically nonsignificant. The findings call for emphasizing prevention of chronic diseases, as it is a strong predictor of household health expenditure. Innovative insurance scheme needs to be devised to prevent household from being impoverished due to health shocks in the family."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Policy makers are urged to design an alternative source of healthcare financing in Bangladesh to minimize the burden of high OOP healthcare expenditure."

For more information on this research see: Predictors of high out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure: an analysis using Bangladesh household income and expenditure survey, 2010. BMC Health Services Research, 2017;17():20-27. BMC Health Services Research can be contacted at: Biomed Central Ltd, 236 Grays Inn Rd, Floor 6, London WC1X 8HL, England. (BioMed Central - www.biomedcentral.com/; BMC Health Services Research - www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from A.A. Molla, Univ Dhaka, Inst Hlth Econ, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Additional authors for this research include C.H. Chi and A.L.N. Mondaca (see also Health and Medicine - Health Services Research).

Keywords for this news article include: Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asia, Health Services Research, Health and Medicine, Institute of Health Economics.

Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2017, NewsRx LLC