Economic impact of hypertension in Urban chitradurga

Abstract

Background: The high level of out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPEs) increases the risk for catastrophic expenditure and may further increase the risk of impoverishment. Objective: To know the economic impact of hypertension (HTN) in urban Chitradurga. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 hypertensives aged more than 18 years taking treatment for more than 1 year. Newly diagnosed hypertensives and with other debilitating illness were excluded. This study was done in urban field practice area of Chitradurga, for a period of 3 months. Subjects were selected by simple random sampling by line listing all cases. Sociodemographic data and cost of treatment were collected. Along with this cost of consultation, medicine, travel, diagnostic cost, patient's wage lost for treatment and other expenditure details was collected. Results: It was found that most of the subjects were above the age of 60 years and unemployed. Only 29.6% of the participants chose to seek care from government hospitals. Around 67.9% of participants had associated comorbidities. Median monthly OOPE toward HTN was found to be Rs. 600 (400–750). When this was analyzed separately for hospitalized and nonhospitalized cases, total cost of expenditure due to HTN was Rs. 2583 and Rs. 700, respectively. The monthly direct cost of subjects seeking care in private hospitals is Rs. 850 which is Rs. 650 more than what the subjects who seek care in government hospitals pay. Total monthly cost was Rs. 400 and Rs. 1050 for government and private hospitals, respectively. Conclusion: High OOPE makes it a necessity for intervention.