Factors Associated with Direct Non-medical Costs of Outpatients in the Community Hospital and Health Promoting Hospitals in Kokha District: a Cross-sectional Survey
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Abstract
Objective: Information about direct non-medical costs (DNMc) is an important element to enable providers to account for the financial burden from the patient’s side. However, availability of data on DNMc to use in real practice is rather limited. This study aimed to assess the DNMc and their associated factors of outpatients at a community hospital (CH) and the health promoting hospitals (HPHs) in Kokha District.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients from the outpatient department of CH and 12 HPHs in Kokha District from November 2018 to January 2019. Data about demographic characteristics and DNMc, including costs of transportation, productivity loss, and costs of food and accommodation, were collected by face-to-face interviews, using 2018 as the base year.
Results: A total of 441 patients, 221 from CH and 220 from HPHs, were male 220 patients, female 250 patients. The average age was 50-69 years. The average total DNMCs of patients at HPHs was 73.79 Baht, significantly less than for patients at CH, 371.86 Baht. Moreover, the average total DNMc of the caregivers at HPHs was 63.74 Baht, significantly less than for patients at CH, 232.59 Baht. Approximately 49.1% of patients at CH had caregivers, compared with 24.9% of those at HPHs; the difference in the proportion of caregivers is particularly prominent among those aged 50-69.
Conclusions: The DNMc and proportion of caregivers for patients at the CH were more than those at the HPHs.
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References
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