Health Policy Manag.  2020 Dec;30(4):467-478. 10.4332/KJHPA.2020.30.4.467.

Analyses of Factors Related to the Incurrence of Catastrophic Health Expenditure: Does Elderly in Households Matter?

• Koo JH
• Jeong JY
• Lee WR
• Yoo KB

• KMID: 2510239
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2020.30.4.467

Abstract

Background
The purpose of this study is to explain the factors influencing the incurrence of catastrophic health expenditure of national health insurance households using panel data observed over a long period.
Methods
The study targeted 3,652 households who had no censoring during the 11-year survey period (2007–2017) and householders whose insurance type was consistently maintained as national health insurance. Generalized estimating equations were adopted to identify factors affecting the occurrence of catastrophic health expenditure at 20%, 30%, and 40% threshold levels. A subgroup analysis was conducted by categorizing groups depending on the existence of the elderly in the household.
Results
For the last 11 years, the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure in the households without the elderly decreased slightly at all threshold levels, but the households with the elderly seemed to be increased. At baseline, household type showed a statistically significant relationship with all other variables. The results of generalized estimating equations analyses show that household income was not significant at all threshold levels in the households without elderly. On the other hand, in the households with the elderly, the 2nd (odds ratio [OR], 1.33–2.05) and 3rd quintile groups (OR, 1.25–2.55) were more likely to have catastrophic health expenditure compared to the 1st quintile of household income group.
Conclusion
As the amount of health expenditures relative to the ability to pay is increasing in households with the elderly, the application of an intervention followed by consistent monitoring is needed. This study found that there were differences in influencing factors according to the presence of the elderly in the households. In particular, in households with the elderly, interesting results have been drawn regarding the occurrence of catastrophic health expenditure in the near-poor, so additional research is required.

Keyword

Catastrophic health expenditure; Elderly households; Unmet health care needs; Near-poor