Out-of-pocket health expenditures among adult Koreans with cancer

Kim, Sung Gyeong; Park, Woong Sub

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Out-of-pocket health expenditures defined as the charges for services not covered by health insurance have received only sporadic attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of sociodemographic and health characteristics on out-of-pocket health expenditures.
METHODS
We used data from the 2001 National Public Health and Nutrition Survey, a nationally representative survey of community-dwelling individuals. The final sample size for this analysis was 61 individuals with age 20 and older cancer patients in Korea. Using a multiple linear regression model to control for differences in sociodemographics, self-reported health status, hospital length of stay, time since perception, and insurance status, the out-of-pocket health expenditures were estimated.
RESULTS
Mean monthly out-of-pocket health expenditures were 399,300 won. The highest mean out-of-pocket health expenditures were paid by those with lung cancer, 820,000 won. In the regression analysis, insurance status, resident area, hospital length of stay, and time since perception were statistically significant determinants. Thus, those with higher hospital days, National Health Insurance, metropolitan, and more than 1 year of time since perception experienced higher economic burden.
CONCLUSIONS
Policymakers should consider out-of-pocket health expenditure difference by diverse characteristics.