The Risk of Catastrophic Health Expenditures Due to Direct Non-Medical Costs in Patients: A Study of the Outpatients in Qazvin, Iran
| Author | Saeed Asefzadeh | en |
| Author | Bahman Ahadi Nezhad | en |
| Author | Saeed Norouzi | en |
| Orcid | Bahman Ahadi Nezhad [0000-0001-6940-3498] | en |
| Issued Date | 2021-01-12 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Out-of-pocket payment encompasses the costs that patients pay for healthcare services, which is an inefficient approach to healthcare financing as it may lead to poverty. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the risk of catastrophic health expenditures due to non-medical costs in the outpatients in Qazvin, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 341 outpatients referring to the internists of Velayat Hospital and Bu-Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin. The required data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and the prescriptions of the patients. Out-of-pocket payments were defined as the direct medical and non-medical costs within one month. Results: The mean out-of-pocket payments of the patients in one month was 49.97 dollars, 75.8% of which covered direct medical cost (disease diagnosis and treatment), and 24.2% covered direct non-medical costs to receive health services. The highest out-of-pocket payments were for diagnostic/laboratory tests (50.3%), medications (21.5%), and transportation (18.2%). In addition, the exposure rate to catastrophic expenditures was estimated at 31%, and the patients with lower income had less exposure compared to those without incomes. Conclusions: According to the results, direct non-medical costs were associated with the increased out-of-pocket payments of the patients, which in turn led to the higher rates of catastrophic expenditures. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijhls.106944 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/jhrt/articles/106944 | en |
| Keyword | Direct Non-medical Costs | en |
| Keyword | Out-of-pocket Payment | en |
| Keyword | Catastrophic Health Expenditures, Outpatients | en |
| Keyword | Iran | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Risk of Catastrophic Health Expenditures Due to Direct Non-Medical Costs in Patients: A Study of the Outpatients in Qazvin, Iran | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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