The burden of household out-of-pocket health expenditures in Ethiopia: estimates from a nationally representative survey (2015-16)

The burden of health expenditure on household impoverishment in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Ethiopia, like many low-income countries, faces significant challenges in providing accessible and affordable healthcare to its population. Health expenditure is a critical factor in determining the quality and accessibility of healthcare. However, high health expenditure can also have detrimental effects on households, potentially leading to impoverishment. To the best knowledge of investigators, no similar study has been conducted in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled burden of health expenditure on household impoverishment in Ethiopia.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis used the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. PubMed, Cochrane Library, HINARI, Google Scholar and Epistemonikos electronic databases were searched systematically. Moreover, direct manual searching through google was conducted. The analysis was performed using STATA version 17 software. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I2 statistics and Egger's test, respectively. The trim and fill method was also performed to adjust the pooled estimate. Forest plots were used to present the pooled incidence with a 95% confidence interval of meta-analysis using the random effect model.

RESULTS

This systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 12 studies with a sample size of 66344 participants. The pooled incidence of impoverishment, among households, attributed to health expenditure in Ethiopia was 5.20% (95% CI: 4.30%, 6.20%). Moreover, there was significant heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 98.25%, P = 0.000). As a result, a random effect model was employed.

CONCLUSION

The pooled incidence of impoverishment of households attributed to their health expenditure in Ethiopia was higher than the incidence of impoverishment reported by the world health organization in 2023.

Exploring Factors Influencing Family's Enrollment in Community-Based Health Insurance in the City of Gondar Peri-Urban Community, Northwest Ethiopia: A Health Belief Model Approach

Background

A research gap exists in finding practical solutions to provide affordable and accessible health insurance coverage to improve CBHI enrollment and sustainability to people in resource-poor settings and contribute to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Ethiopia. This research was initiated to analyze the role of community trust in scheme management and health choice to identify significant factors based on the health belief model (HBM). This psychological framework explains and predicts health behavior by considering individual perceptions.

Methods

Cross-sectional information was gathered from 358 families, and original facts were utilized. Descriptive data and the Binary logistics in the econometric model were applied for data analysis.

Findings

The descriptive findings demonstrated that other variables were established to possess a significant consequence except for job and occupation variables. The results of the logistic regression model showed that the distance of the nearest health station from the family's home in a minute [AOR (95% CI) =0.177 (0.015, -0.399)], being a member of the families having an official position in local government or cultural structure [AOR (95% CI) =0.574 (0.355, 0.793)], having an experience of visiting health facilities [AOR (95% CI) =0.281 (0.166, 0.396)], and perceiving the local CBHI scheme management as trustworthy [AOR (95% CI) =0.404 (0.233, 0.575)] were positively associated with family enrollment in the CBHI scheme. On the other hand, being a member of the "rotating saving and credit association" (ROSCA) [AOR (95% CI) =-.299 (-.478, -0.120)] was negatively associated with the family's enrollment in the CBHI scheme.

Conclusion

Trust in CBHI scheme management, family's experience of visiting health facilities, and distance from the nearest health station were essential factors influencing enrollment in CBHI schemes. "Rotating saving and credit association" (ROSCA) ° negatively and statistically significantly impacted the family's CBHI enrolment status. Income level was not associated with enrollment.

Magnitude of health expenditure induced removable poverty in India: Some reflections of Ayushman Bharat

The authors have measured the health expenditure-induced removable poverty in India using nationally representative consumer expenditure surveys of three quinquennial rounds conducted by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO). This study has also focused on the reflections of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the world's largest Government-funded health insurance scheme, on these poverty rates in the country. The study has used headcount, payment gap, and concentration index to measure the economic burden and impoverishment impact of out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure. The analysis shows that the incidence and depth of poverty are substantially understated because of overlooking OOP health expenditure in the country's standard poverty measure. Outpatient care contributes almost four times more than inpatient care to health expenditure-induced impoverishment in India, though this care has not been covered in the AB-PMJAY. Muslims, among all religious groups, Scheduled Castes among social groups, and casual labourers among different household types are more vulnerable to OOP health expenditure-induced removable poverty in the country. Poverty, in general, has dropped significantly, but the share of health expenditure-induced poverty in general poverty has increased substantially. It has risen considerably in rural areas and among India's most vulnerable sections of society in the past 20 years. We emphasised that universal health insurance coverage is needed in India. Implementing comprehensive health insurance schemes that cover both inpatient and outpatient care can help alleviate the financial burden of healthcare expenses on households and contribute to reducing poverty rates.

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.

Household satisfaction and associated factors with community-based health insurance scheme in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes are crucial for households to avoid financial hardship, improve healthcare quality, and engage in health policies. Household satisfaction is a key indicator for assessing healthcare quality and identifying service gaps. However, research on household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate household satisfaction and associated factors with CBHI schemes in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of relevant literature was conducted using multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Africa Journal Online, and Ethiopian Universities' institutional open-access online repositories. The search was carried out between January 25, 2023, and February 28, 2023. Twelve primary studies, including eight published and four unpublished, were identified and included in the analysis with a total sample size of 5311 participants. A protocol with the registration number CRD20531345698 is recorded on the Prospero database. Two authors, DT and MK, independently extracted the required data using a standardized form. The extracted data were then analyzed using STATA version 17 software. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane Q-test and I2 tests. Finally, a random-effect model was employed to calculate the overall household satisfaction with CBHI and to determine the associated factors.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis showed that the overall household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia was 62.26% (95% CI 53.25-71.21%). The study found regional variations in household satisfaction, with 63.40% in Oromia, 64.01% in Amhara, 49.58% in Addis Ababa, and 66.76% in SNNPs. The study identified several factors associated with household satisfaction and the CBHI scheme, including the availability of drugs (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.47-2.78), friendly services (OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.60-6.10), affordability of premium (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.97-3.63), and knowledge/awareness of CBHI (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.73-3.33).

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides valuable insights into household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia, with a considerable proportion of enrolees being satisfied. The finding highlights regional variations in household satisfaction and underscores the need for tailored interventions and monitoring to enhance CBHI sustainability and effectiveness. The results suggest that healthcare providers and policymakers should prioritize the availability of drugs, friendly services, affordable premiums, and education to improve household satisfaction with CBHI schemes.

Financial hardship associated with catastrophic out-of-pocket spending tied to primary care services in low- and lower-middle-income countries: findings from a modeling study

BACKGROUND

Financial risk protection (FRP) is a key component of universal health coverage (UHC): all individuals must be able to obtain the health services they need without experiencing financial hardship. In many low-income and lower-middle-income countries, however, the health system fails to provide sufficient protection against high out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on health services. In 2018, OOP health spending comprised approximately 40% of current health expenditures in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.

METHODS

We model the household risk of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), conditional on having a given disease or condition-defined as OOP health spending that exceeds a threshold percentage (10, 25, or 40%) of annual income-for 29 health services across 13 disease categories (e.g., diarrheal diseases, cardiovascular diseases) in 34 low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Health services were included in the analysis if delivered at the primary care level and part of the Disease Control Priorities, 3rd edition "highest priority package." Data were compiled from several publicly available sources, including national health accounts, household surveys, and the published literature. A risk of CHE, conditional on having disease, was modeled as depending on usage, captured through utilization indicators; affordability, captured via the level of public financing and OOP health service unit costs; and income.

RESULTS

Across all countries, diseases, and health services, the risk of CHE (conditional on having a disease) would be concentrated among poorer quintiles (6.8% risk in quintile 1 vs. 1.3% in quintile 5 using a 10% CHE threshold). The risk of CHE would be higher for a few disease areas, including cardiovascular disease and mental/behavioral disorders (7.8% and 9.8% using a 10% CHE threshold), while lower risks of CHE were observed for lower cost services.

CONCLUSIONS

Insufficient FRP stands as a major barrier to achieving UHC, and risk of CHE is a major problem for health systems in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Beyond its threat to the financial stability of households, CHE may also lead to worse health outcomes, especially among the poorest for whom both ill health and financial risk are most severe. Modeling the risk of CHE associated with specific disease areas and services can help policymakers set progressive health sector priorities. Decision-makers could explicitly include FRP as a criterion for consideration when assessing the health interventions for inclusion in national essential benefit packages.

Distributional impact of infectious disease interventions in the Ethiopian Essential Health Service Package: a modelling study

OBJECTIVES

Reducing inequalities in health and financial risk are key goals on the path toward universal health coverage, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. The design of the health benefit package creates an opportunity to select interventions through established criteria. The aim of this study is to examine the health equity and financial protection impact of selected interventions, along with their costs, at the national level in Ethiopia.

DESIGN

Distributional cost-effectiveness analysis.

POPULATION

The eligible population for all selected interventions is assumed to be 10 million.

DATA SOURCES

Data on disease prevalence and population size were gathered from the Global Burden of Disease database, and average health benefits and program costs are sourced from the Ethiopian Essential Health Service Package (EHSP) database, national surveys and other publicly available sources.

INTERVENTION

A total of 30 interventions were selected from the latest EHSP revision and analysed over a 1-year period.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Health benefits, social welfare indices and financial protection metrics across income quintiles were reported.

RESULTS

We found 23 interventions that improve population health and reduce health inequality and four interventions reduce both population health and health inequality. Additionally, three interventions improve population health while increasing health inequality. Overall, the EHSP interventions provide a 0.021 improvement in health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) per person, with a positive distributional equity impact: 0.029 (26.9%) HALE gained in the poorest and 0.015 (14.0%) in the richest quintile. Similarly, a total of 1 79 475 cases of catastrophic health expenditure were averted, including 82 100 (46.0%) cases in the poorest and 17 900 (10.0%) in the richest quintile.

CONCLUSION

Increasing access to the EHSP improves health equity and financial protection. Improved access to selected EHSP interventions also has the potential to provide greater benefits to the poorest and thereby improve social welfare.

Perspectives of key decision makers on out-of-pocket payments for medicines in the Ethiopian healthcare system: a qualitative interview study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the perspectives of key decision makers on out-of-pocket (OOP) payment for medicines and its implications in the Ethiopian healthcare system.

DESIGN

A qualitative design that employed audiorecorded semistructured in-depth interviews was used in this study. The framework thematic analysis approach was followed in the analysis.

SETTING

Interviewees came from five federal-level institutions engaged in policymaking (three) and tertiary referral-level healthcare service provision (two) in Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

Seven pharmacists, five health officers, one medical doctor and one economist who held key decision-making positions in their respective organisations participated in the study.

RESULT

Three major themes were identified in the areas of the current context of OOP payment for medicines, its aggravating factors and a plan to reduce its burden. Under the current context, participants' overall opinions, circumstances of vulnerability and consequences on households were identified. Factors identified as aggravating the burden of OOP payment were deficiencies in the medicine supply chain and limitations in the health insurance system. Suggested mitigation strategies to be implemented by the health providers, the national medicines supplier, the insurance agency and the Ministry of Health were categorised under plans to reduce OOP payment.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study indicate that there is widespread OOP payment for medicines in Ethiopia. System level constraints such as weaknesses in the supply system at the national and health facility levels have been identified as critical factors that undermine the protective effects of health insurance in the Ethiopian context. Ensuring steady access to essential medicines requires addressing health system and supply constraints in addition to a well-functioning financial risk protection systems.

Cost of childhood cancer treatment in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Despite the recent interest in expanding pediatric oncology units in Ethiopia, reflected in the National Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Control Plan (NCACCP), little is known about the cost of running a pediatric oncology unit and treating childhood cancers.

METHODS

We collected historical cost data and quantity of services provided for the pediatric oncology unit and all other departments in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) from 8 July 2018 to 7 July 2019, using a provider perspective and mixed (top-down and bottom-up) costing approaches. Direct costs (human resources, drugs, supplies, medical equipment) of the pediatric oncology unit, costs at other relevant clinical departments, and overhead cost share are summed up to estimate the total annual cost of running the unit. Further, unit costs were estimated at specific childhood cancer levels.

RESULTS

The estimated annual total cost of running a pediatric oncology unit was USD 776,060 (equivalent to USD 577 per treated child). The cost of running a pediatric oncology unit per treated child ranged from USD 469 to USD 1,085, on the scenario-based sensitivity analysis. Drugs and supplies, and human resources accounted for 33% and 27% of the total cost, respectively. Outpatient department and inpatient department shared 37% and 63% of the cost, respectively. For the pediatric oncology unit, the cost per OPD visit, cost per bed day, and cost per episode of hospital admission were USD 36.9, 39.9, and 373.3, respectively. The annual cost per treated child ranged from USD 322 to USD 1,313 for the specific childhood cancers.

CONCLUSION

Running a pediatric oncology unit in Ethiopia is likely to be affordable. Further analysis of cost effectiveness, equity, and financial risk protection impacts of investing in childhood cancer programs could better inform the prioritization of childhood cancer control interventions in the Ethiopia Essential Health Service Package.

The financial burden of out of pocket payments on medicines among households in Ethiopia: analysis of trends and contributing factors

BACKGROUND

In Ethiopia, out-of-pocket (OOP) payment is the key means of healthcare financing, and expenses on medicines are a crucial component of such payment. This study aims to investigate the financial implications of OOP payments on medicines for Ethiopian households.

METHODS

The study involved a secondary data analysis of the national household consumption and expenditure surveys of 2010/11 and 2015/16. The "capacity-to-pay" method was used to calculate catastrophic OOP medicine expenditures. The extent of economic status related to catastrophic medicine payment inequity was calculated using concentration index estimation. The impoverishment consequences of OOP payment on medicine were estimated using poverty headcount and poverty gap analysis methods. Logistic regression models were used to identify the variables that predict catastrophic medicine payments.

RESULTS

Medicines accounted for the majority of healthcare spending (> 65%) across the surveys. From 2010 to 2016, the total percentage of households facing catastrophic medicine payments decreased from 1% to 0.73%. However, the actual number of people expected to have experienced catastrophic medicine payments increased from 399,174 to 401,519 people. Payment for medicines pushed 11,132 households into poverty in 2015/16. The majority of disparities were explained by economic status, place of residence, and type of health services.

CONCLUSION

OOP payment on medicine accounted for the majority of total health expenses in Ethiopia. A high medicine OOP payment continued to push households into catastrophic payments and impoverishment. Household seeking inpatient care, those with lower economic status and urban residents were among the most affected. Hence, innovative approaches to improve the supply of medicines in public facilities especially those in urban settings and risk protection mechanisms for medicine expenditures particularly for inpatient care are recommended.

Out-of-pocket expenditures and financial risks associated with treatment of vaccine-preventable diseases in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional costing analysis

BACKGROUND

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) remain major causes of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Universal access to vaccination, besides improved health outcomes, would substantially reduce VPD-related out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures and associated financial risks. This paper aims to estimate the extent of OOP expenditures and the magnitude of the associated catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs) for selected VPDs in Ethiopia.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We conducted a cross-sectional costing analysis, from the household (patient) perspective, of care-seeking for VPDs in children aged under 5 years for pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, and pertussis, and in children aged under 15 years for meningitis. Data on OOP direct medical and nonmedical expenditures (2021 USD) and household consumption expenditures were collected from 995 households (1 child per household) in 54 health facilities nationwide between May 1 and July 31, 2021. We used descriptive statistics to measure the main outcomes: magnitude of OOP expenditures, along with the associated CHE within households. Drivers of CHE were assessed using a logistic regression model. The mean OOP expenditures per disease episode for outpatient care for diarrhea, pneumonia, pertussis, and measles were $5·6 (95% confidence interval (CI): $4·3, 6·8), $7·8 ($5·3, 10·3), $9·0 ($6·4, 11·6), and $7·4 ($3·0, 11·9), respectively. The mean OOP expenditures were higher for inpatient care, ranging from $40·6 (95% CI: $12·9, 68·3) for severe measles to $101·7 ($88·5, 114·8) for meningitis. Direct medical expenditures, particularly drug and supply expenses, were the major cost drivers. Among those who sought inpatient care (345 households), about 13·3% suffered CHE, at a 10% threshold of annual consumption expenditures. The type of facility visited, receiving inpatient care, and wealth were significant predictors of CHE (p-value < 0·001) while adjusting for area of residence (urban/rural), diagnosis, age of respondent, and household family size. Limitations include inadequate number of measles and pertussis cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The OOP expenditures induced by VPDs are substantial in Ethiopia and disproportionately impact those with low income and those requiring inpatient care. Expanding equitable access to vaccines cannot be overemphasized, for both health and economic reasons. Such realization requires the government's commitment toward increasing and sustaining vaccine financing in Ethiopia.

Validation of the Canadian CT Head Rule and the New Orleans Criteria for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem worldwide. Although computed tomography (CT) scans are often used for TBI workup, clinicians in low-income countries are limited by fewer radiographic resources. The Canadian CT Head Rule (CCHR) and the New Orleans Criteria (NOC) are widely used screening tools to rule out clinically important brain injury without CT imaging. Although these tools are well validated in studies from upper- and middle-income countries, it is important to study these tools in low-income countries. This study sought to validate the CCHR and NOC in a tertiary teaching hospital population in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective cohort study included patients older than 13 years presenting from December 2018 to July 2021 with a head injury and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15. Retrospective chart review collected demographic, clinical, radiographic, and hospital course variables. Proportion tables were constructed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of these tools.

RESULTS

A total of 193 patients were included. Both tools showed 100% sensitivity for identifying patients requiring neurosurgical intervention and abnormal CT scans. The specificity for the CCHR was 41.5% and 26.5% for the NOC. Male gender, falling accidents, and headaches had the strongest association with abnormal CT findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The NOC and the CCHR are highly sensitive screening tools that can help rule out clinically important brain injury in mild TBI patients without a head CT in an urban Ethiopian population. Their implementation in this low-resource setting may help spare a significant number of CT scans.

Leaving no one behind in health: Financial hardship to access health care in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Financial hardship (of health care) is a global and a national priority area. All people should be protected from financial hardship to ensure inclusive better health outcome. However, financial hardship of healthcare has not been well studied in Ethiopia in general and in Debre Tabor town in particular. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence of financial hardship of healthcare and associated factors among households in Debre Tabor town.

METHODS

Community based cross sectional study was conducted, from May 24/2022 to June 17/2022, on 423 (selected through simple random sampling) households. Financial hardship was measured through catastrophic (using 10% threshold level) and impoverishing (using $1.90 poverty line) health expenditures. Patient perspective bottom up and prevalence based costing approach were used. Indirect cost was estimated through human capital approach. Bi-variable and multiple logistic regressions were used.

RESULTS

The response rate was 95%. The mean household annual healthcare expenditure was Ethiopian birr 12050.64 ($227.37). About 37.1% (95%CI: 32, 42%) of the households spend catastrophic health expenditure with a 10% threshold level and 10.4% of households were impoverished with $1.90 per day poverty line. Being old, with age above 60, (AOR: 4.21, CI: 1.23, 14.45), being non-insured (AOR: 2.19, CI: 1.04, 4.62), chronically ill (AOR: 7.20, CI: 3.64, 14.26), seeking traditional healthcare (AOR: 2.63, CI: 1.37. 5.05) and being socially unsupported (AOR: 2.77, CI: 1.25, 6.17) were statistically significant factors for catastrophic health expenditure.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that significant number of households was not yet protected from financial hardship of healthcare. The financial hardship of health care is stronger among the less privileged populations: non-insured, the chronically diseased, the elder and socially unsupported. Therefore, financial risk protection strategies should be strengthened by the concerned bodies.

Health Policy and Systems Research Capacities in Ethiopia and Ghana: Findings From a Self-Assessment

Government investment in strengthening health policy and systems research capacities is needed to enhance the generation of evidence for effective policy making. Researchers’ engagement in the policy-making process helps shape policy-relevant research and support policy-relevant decisions.

Introduction:

Health systems are complex. Policies targeted at health system development may be informed by health policy and systems research (HPSR). This study assesses HPSR capacity to generate evidence and inform policy in Ethiopia and Ghana.

Methods:

We used a mixed-methods approach including a self-administered survey at selected HPSR institutes and in-depth interviews of policy makers.

Results:

Both countries have limited capacity to generate HPSR evidence, especially in terms of mobilizing adequate funding and retaining a critical number of competent researchers who understand complex policy processes, have the skills to influence policy, and know policy makers’ demands for evidence. Common challenges are limited government research funding, rigidity in executing the research budget, and reliance on donor funding that might not respond to national health priorities. There are no large research programs in either country. The annual number of HPSR projects per research institute in Ethiopia (10 projects) was higher than in Ghana (2.5 projects), Ethiopia has a significantly smaller annual budget for health research. Policy makers in the 2 countries increasingly recognize the importance of evidence-informed policy making, but various challenges remain in building effective interactions with HPSR institutes.

Conclusion:

We propose 3 synergistic recommendations to strengthen HPSR capacity in Ethiopia and Ghana. First, strengthen researchers’ capacity and enhance their opportunities to know policy actors; engage with the policy community; and identify and work with policy entrepreneurs, who have attributes, skills, and strategies to achieve a successful policy. Second, deliver policy-relevant research findings in a timely way and embed research into key health programs to guide effective implementation. Third, mobilize local and international funding to strengthen HPSR capacities as well as address challenges with recruiting and retaining a critical number of talented researchers. These recommendations may be applied to other low- and middle-income countries to strengthen HPSR capacities.

"If I Was Educated, I Would Call the Ambulance and Give Birth at the Health Facility"-A Qualitative Exploratory Study of Inequities in the Utilization of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Services in Northern Ethiopia

In earlier studies, we have shown that the utilization of maternal health services in rural Ethiopia was distributed in a pro-rich fashion, while the coverage of child immunization was equitably distributed. Hence, this study aimed to explore mothers' and primary healthcare workers' perceptions of inequities in maternal, newborn, and child health services in rural Ethiopia, along with the factors that could influence such differentials. A qualitative study was conducted from November to December 2019 in two rural districts in Tigray, Ethiopia. Twenty-two in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions were carried out with mothers who had given birth during the last year before the survey. We also interviewed women's development group leaders, health extension workers, and health workers. The final sample was determined based on the principle of saturation. The interviews and focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, translated, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Two major themes emerged during the analysis that characterized the distribution of the service utilization and perceived causes of inequity. These were: (1) perceptions of the inequity in the use of maternal and child health services, and (2) perceived causes of inequity in maternal and child health service utilization. The mothers perceived antenatal care, facility-based delivery, and care-seeking for sick children to be inequitably distributed, while immunization was recognized as an equitable service. The inequity in the maternal and child health services was linked to poverty, lack of education, lack of access, and poor-quality services. The poor, the uneducated, and women who were distant from health facilities had a low utilization rate of services. The weak implementation of community-based equity-oriented policies, such as community-based health insurance, was perceived to result in health inequities. Mothers and primary healthcare providers in rural Ethiopia experienced weaknesses in delivering equitable services. The narratives could inform efforts to provide universal health coverage for mothers, newborns, and children by improving access and empowering women through poverty alleviation and education.

Financial risk protection from out-of-pocket health spending in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review of the literature

Background

Financial risk protection (FRP), defined as households’ access to needed healthcare services without experiencing undue financial hardship, is a critical health systems target, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Given the remarkable growth in FRP literature in recent times, we conducted a scoping review of the literature on FRP from out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending in LMICs. The objective was to review current knowledge, identify evidence gaps and propose future research directions.

Methods

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines to conduct this scoping review. We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest and Web of Science in July 2021 for literature published since 1 January 2015. We included empirical studies that used nationally representative data from household surveys to measure the incidence of at least one of the following indicators: catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), impoverishment, adoption of strategies to cope with OOP expenses, and forgone care for financial reasons. Our review covered 155 studies and analysed the geographical focus, data sources, methods and analytical rigour of the studies. We also examined the level of FRP by disease categories (all diseases, chronic illnesses, communicable diseases) and the effect of health insurance on FRP.

Results

The extant literature primarily focused on India and China as research settings. Notably, no FRP study was available on chronic illness in any low-income country (LIC) or on communicable diseases in an upper-middle-income country (UMIC). Only one study comprehensively measured FRP by examining all four indicators. Most studies assessed (lack of) FRP as CHE incidence alone (37.4%) or as CHE and impoverishment incidence (39.4%). However, the LMIC literature did not incorporate the recent methodological advances to measure CHE and impoverishment that address the limitations of conventional methods. There were also gaps in utilizing available panel data to determine the length of the lack of FRP (e.g. duration of poverty caused by OOP expenses). The current estimates of FRP varied substantially among the LMICs, with some of the poorest countries in the world experiencing similar or even lower rates of CHE and impoverishment compared with the UMICs. Also, health insurance in LMICs did not consistently offer a higher degree of FRP.

Conclusion

The literature to date is unable to provide a reliable representation of the actual level of protection enjoyed by the LMIC population because of the lack of comprehensive measurement of FRP indicators coupled with the use of dated methodologies. Future research in LMICs should address the shortcomings identified in this review.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12961-022-00886-3.

Willingness to pay for social health insurance among public civil servants: A cross-sectional study in Dessie City Administration, North-East Ethiopia

Background

The readiness to pay for health insurance has an impact on universal health care. This study investigated the willingness of public civil servants in Dessie City Administration, North-East Ethiopia, to pay for social health insurance and associated factors.

Methods

From April to May 2021, a cross-sectional study was undertaken. The sectors from which the samples were proportionately allocated were chosen using a multistage sampling procedure. Using their payroll list as a sampling frame, simple random sampling was done to recruit them. A semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Epi Data version 3.1 was used to enter, code, and clean the data, which was then exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. To determine relationships, bi-variable and multivariable analyses were utilized. Candidates for multivariable analysis were variables with a p-value ≤ 0.3 in bi-variable analysis. AOR with a 95% CI was used to determine the strength and direction of association. Statistical significance was defined at p-value < 0.05.

Results

A total of 796 employees took part in the study, with a 94.42% response rate. Overall, 29.60% of them were willing to pay for the scheme (95% CI: 26.4, 33%). The decision to pay was influenced by favorable perception (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.72, 3.44), household income < Birr 5,000 (AOR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.48), acute illness (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.72), bachelor level education (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.70), master and above level education (AOR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.49), and age 25–29 years (AOR = 1.97, 95 % CI: 1.08, 3.57).

Conclusion

The willingness of the civil servants to pay for social health insurance was low, and it was influenced by their attitudes toward the scheme, the occurrence of severe illness, income level, educational status, and age.

The Impact of Community-Based Health Insurance on Household's Welfare in Chilga District, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Household welfare is depleted by catastrophic health expenditure by forcing families to reduce the consumption of necessary goods and services, underutilization of health services, and of finally falling into the poverty trap. To mitigate such problem, the Government of Ethiopia launched CBHI schemes. Therefore, this study investigates the household welfare impact of Community based health insurance (CBHI) in the Chilga district. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 531 households (of which 356 were treated and 175 control groups). Probit and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to analyze the data. Probit model revealed the following: Level of education, access to credit, chronic disease, insurance premium, awareness, distance to health service, and health service waiting time are significant determinates for being insured in CBHI. The PSM method revealed that the insured households associated with visits increased by 2.6 times, reduced per-capita health expenditure by 17–14% points, increased the per-capita consumption of non-food items by 12–14% points, increased the per-capita consumption of food items by 12–13% points in a given matching algorithm compared to the counterparts. Therefore, CBHI has enhanced service utilization by reducing per-capita health expenditure and increasing consumption per-capita, in general, it improved household welfare. To this end, the results of this study suggested that the government (ministry of health) and concerned bodies (such as NGOs) should extend the coverage and accessibility of CBHI schemes, create aware to the society about CBHI, and subsidize premium costs of the poor.

Catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To estimate the incidence of, and trends in, catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the scientific and grey literature to identify population-based studies on catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa published between 2000 and 2021. We performed a meta-analysis using two definitions of catastrophic health expenditure: 10% of total household expenditure and 40% of household non-food expenditure. The results of individual studies were pooled by pairwise meta-analysis using the random-effects model.

Findings

We identified 111 publications covering a total of 1 040 620 households across 31 sub-Saharan African countries. Overall, the pooled annual incidence of catastrophic health expenditure was 16.5% (95% confidence interval, CI: 12.9-20.4; 50 datapoints; 462 151 households; I ² = 99.9%) for a threshold of 10% of total household expenditure and 8.7% (95% CI: 7.2-10.3; 84 datapoints; 795 355 households; I ² = 99.8%) for a threshold of 40% of household non-food expenditure. Countries in central and southern sub-Saharan Africa had the highest and lowest incidence, respectively. A trend analysis found that, after initially declining in the 2000s, the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa increased between 2010 and 2020. The incidence among people affected by specific diseases, such as noncommunicable diseases, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, was generally higher.

Conclusion

Although data on catastrophic health expenditure for some countries were sparse, the data available suggest that a non-negligible share of households in sub-Saharan Africa experienced catastrophic expenditure when accessing health-care services. Stronger financial protection measures are needed.

Wealth and Education Inequities in Maternal and Child Health Services Utilization in Rural Ethiopia

As part of the 2030 maternal and child health targets, Ethiopia strives for universal and equitable use of health services. We aimed to examine the association between household wealth, maternal education, and the interplay between these in utilization of maternal and child health services. Data emanating from the evaluation of the Optimizing of Health Extension Program intervention. Women in the reproductive age of 15 to 49 years and children aged 12-23 months were included in the study. We used logistic regression with marginal effects to examine the association between household wealth, women's educational level, four or more antenatal care visits, skilled assistance at delivery, and full immunization of children. Further, we analyzed the interactions between household wealth and education on these outcomes. Household wealth was positively associated with skilled assistance at delivery and full child immunization. Women's education had a positive association only with skilled assistance at delivery. Educated women had skilled attendance at delivery, especially in the better-off households. Our results show the importance of poverty alleviation and girls' education for universal health coverage.

The potential distributional health and financial benefits of increased tobacco taxes in Ethiopia: Findings from a modeling study

Ethiopia raised taxes on tobacco products in early 2020, increasing the overall price of the typical pack of cigarettes by about 67%. We quantify the potential impacts of Ethiopia's tobacco tax hike on various outcomes—life years, tax revenues, cigarette expenditures and catastrophic health expenditures (CHE). Using parameters like price elasticity of demand for cigarettes and smoking prevalence in Ethiopia from the existing literature and secondary data sources, we model the potential implications of the reform at the population level and for different wealth quintiles. We focus only on men since a small proportion of Ethiopian women smoke. Results indicate that Ethiopia's tax hike could induce a significant proportion of current smokers to quit smoking and thereby save almost eight million years of life in the current population. The reform is also likely to increase tax revenues by USD26 million in the first year after its introduction. The richest quintile will bear the greatest share of this higher tax burden and the poorest will bear the least. Additionally, deaths due to the main diseases associated with smoking will fall. This is expected to avert up to 173,000 CHE cases due to the out-of-pocket costs that would have been incurred in obtaining medical treatment. This analysis highlights that cigarette tax hikes in countries that have low smoking prevalence can reduce smoking even further, and thereby protect against the future health and financial costs of smoking. Importantly, the effects of these policies can be progressive across the income spectrum.

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We model the potential impacts of a recent tobacco tax increase in Ethiopia.

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Results show that the reform could save eight million years of life.

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Government tax revenue will likely go up by $26 million in the first year.

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Up to 173,000 fewer cases of catastrophic health expenditures could occur.

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All these effects are expected to disproportionately benefit the poorest.

A Systematic Review of Scope and Quality of Health Economic Evaluations Conducted in Ethiopia

There has been an increased interest in health technology assessment and economic evaluations for health policy in Ethiopia over the last few years. In this systematic review, we examined the scope and quality of healthcare economic evaluation studies in Ethiopia. We searched seven electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, Econlit, York CRD databases and CEA Tufts) from inception to May 2021 to identify published full health economic evaluations of a health-related intervention or programme in Ethiopia. This was supplemented with forward and backward citation searches of included articles, manual search of key government websites, the Disease Control Priorities-Ethiopia project and WHO-CHOICE programme. The quality of reporting of economic evaluations was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. The extracted data were grouped into subcategories based on the subject of the economic evaluation, organized into tables and reported narratively. This review identified 34 full economic evaluations conducted between 2009 and 2021. Around 14 (41%) of studies focussed on health service delivery, 8 (24%) on pharmaceuticals, vaccines and devices, and 4 (12%) on public-health programmes. The interventions were mostly preventive in nature and focussed on communicable diseases (n = 19; 56%) and maternal and child health (n = 6; 18%). Cost-effectiveness ratios varied widely from cost-saving to more than US $37 313 per life saved depending on the setting, perspectives, types of interventions and disease conditions. While the overall quality of included studies was judged as moderate (meeting 69% of CHEERS checklist), only four out of 27 cost-effectiveness studies characterized heterogeneity. There is a need for building local technical capacity to enhance the design, conduct and reporting of health economic evaluations in Ethiopia.

The burden of household out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In Ethiopia, household Out-Of-Pocket healthcare expenditure accounts for one-third of total healthcare expenditure, is one of the highest in the world, and still creates barriers and difficulties for households to healthcare access and may delay or forgo needed healthcare use. Despite the presence of a few highly dispersed and inconsistent studies, no comprehensive study was conducted. Therefore, in this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed at estimating the pooled estimates of the burden of household Out-Of-Pocket healthcare expenditures among Ethiopian households and identifying its determinants.

METHODS

We systematically searched articles from PubMed / Medline and Google scholar databases and direct Google search engine without restriction on publication period. Cross-sectional and cohort articles and grey literature published in English were included. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel. Two reviewers screened the titles, reviewed the articles for inclusion, extracted the data, and conducted a quality assessment. The third reviewer commented on the review. Articles with no abstracts or full texts, editorials, and qualitative in design were excluded. To assess quality, Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tools was used. A Forest plot was used to present summary information on each article and pooled common effects. Potential heterogeneity was checked using Cochrane's Q test and I-squared statistic. We checked publication bias using a Funnel plot. Moreover, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Meta-analysis was used for the pooled estimates using RevMan statistical software Version 5.4.1.

RESULTS

In this review, a total of 27 primary articles were included (with a total sample size of 331,537 participants). Because of the presence of heterogeneity, we employed a random-effects model; therefore, the pooled burden household Out-Of-Pocket / catastrophic healthcare expenditure in Ethiopia was strongly positively associated with household economic status. The odds of facing Out-Of-Pocket / catastrophic healthcare expenditures among the poorest quintile was about three times that of the richest (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.63, 5.86) p-value < 0.001. In addition, on pooled analysis, the mean direct Out-Of-Pocket healthcare expenditures were $32 per month (95%CI: $11, $52) (SD = $45), and the mean indirect Out-of-Pocket healthcare expenditures were $15 per month (95%CI: $3, $28) (SD = $17). The mean catastrophic healthcare expenditure at 10% of threshold was also disproportionately higher: 40% (95%CI: 28, 52%) (SD = 20%). Moreover, the common coping mechanisms were a sale of household assets, support from family, or loan: 40% (95%CI: 28, 52%) (SD = 20%).

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the evidence of inequity in financial hardship that the burden of household Out-Of-Pocket / catastrophic healthcare expenditures gap persists among Ethiopian households that is unfair and unjust. To reduce the detected disparities in seeking healthcare among Ethiopian households, national healthcare priorities should target poor households. This calls for the Ministry of Health to improve the challenges and their impact on equity and design better prepayment policies and strengthen financial protection strategies to protect more vulnerable Ethiopian households.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

The details of this protocol have been registered on the PROSPERO database with reference number ID: CRD42021255977 .

Uneven economic burden of non-communicable diseases among Indian households: A comparative analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading global cause of death and disproportionately concentrate among those living in low-income and middle-income countries. However, its economic impact on households remains less well known in the Indian context. This study aims to assess the economic impact of NCDs in terms of out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and its catastrophic impact on NCDs affected households in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected from the 75th round of the National Sample Survey Office, Government of India, conducted in the year 2017-18. This is the latest round of data available on health, which constitutes a sample of 113,823 households. The collection of data is based on a stratified multi-stage sampling method. Generalised Linear Regression model was employed to identify the socio-economic covariates associated with the catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) on hospitalisation.

RESULTS

The result shows a higher burden of OOPE on NCDs affected households. The mean expenditure by NCDs households in public hospitals is INR 13,170 which is more than twice as compared to the non-NCDs households INR 6,245. Particularly, the proportion of total medical expenditure incurred on medicines (0.39) and diagnostics (0.15) is troublesome for households with NCDs, treated in public hospitals. Moreover, results from the generalised linear regression model confirm the significant relationship between CHE with residence, caste, religion, household size, and economic status of households. The intensity of CHE is more for the households who are poor, drinking unsafe water, using firewood as cooking fuel, and household size of 1-5 members.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, an urgent need for a prevention strategy should be made by the government to protect households from the economic burden of NCDs. Specifically, to reduce the burden of CHE associated with NCDs, a customised disease-specific health insurance package should be introduced by the government of India in both public and private facilities.