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EMPHNET 7th Regional Conference 2021: “Towards Public Health Resilience in the EMR: Breaking Barriers” (62)

Published on in Vol 8, No 1 (2022): Jan-Dec

Preprints (earlier versions) of this paper are available at https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/36382, first published .
Estimation of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on COVID-19 Management Among Patients Treated at Home, Iraq, 2020

Estimation of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on COVID-19 Management Among Patients Treated at Home, Iraq, 2020

Estimation of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on COVID-19 Management Among Patients Treated at Home, Iraq, 2020

Authors of this article:

Falah Abdul kader Saeed1 ;   Faris Lami2 Author Orcid Image
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    Abstract

    1Iraqi Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq

    2Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Baghdad, Iraq

    Corresponding Author:

    Falah Abdul kader Saeed

    Iraqi Ministry of Health

    Al-Rusafa

    Baghdad

    Iraq

    Phone: 964 7702526770

    Email: falaah.abd1300a@comed.uobaghdad.edu.iq


    Background: There is a global consensus that the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis has had a substantial effect on health programs and health insurance, with losses of jobs and rising prices causing growing poverty.

    Objective: This study aims to estimate the out-of-pocket expenditure spent on the management of patients with COVID-19 exclusively treated at home.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data were collected from participating patients with COVID-19 in Iraq through snowball sampling by using a questionnaire. Enrollment occurred from November 1 to December 31, 2020, and excluded individuals who were entering the hospitals.

    Results: Among 589 participating patients with COVID-19, 328 (55.7%) were female. Female patients spent more than male patients to get cured of the illness; the mean amount of money spent by women was statistically higher than men (IQD 644,617 [US $402] and IQD 461,653 [US $307], respectively). The average total money expenditures spent was IQD 643,304 (US $428; range IQD 505,096-5,595,000 [US $336-US $3730]) among patients exclusively treated at home. The average money spent by patients with inadequate monthly income (IQD 901,424 [US $600], range IQD 220,000-5,260,000 [US $140-US $3500]) was significantly more than patients with adequate monthly income (IQD 613,252 [US $400], range IQD 48,000-5,500,000 [US $32-US $3600]). Patients with COVID-19 (25.5%) who had chronic diseases spent significantly more money (IQD 696,330 [US $460]) than those without the chronic disease (IQD 625,185 [US $416]).

    Conclusions: Financial burdens affected the purchasing power and the economic situation on the management of patients with COVID-19 exclusively treated at home.

    iproc 2022;8(1):e36382

    doi:10.2196/36382

    Keywords

    poverty; out-of-pocket expenditure; chronic diseases; cross-section study 

    Edited by Y Khader; This is a non–peer-reviewed article. submitted 12.01.22; accepted 17.01.22; published 04.02.22

    Copyright

    ©Falah Abdul kader Saeed, Faris Lami. Originally published in Iproceedings (https://www.iproc.org), 04.02.2022.

    This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in Iproceedings, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.iproc.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.