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Financial burden of health care for HIV / AIDS patients in Vietnam
Author(s) -
Tran Bach X.,
Duong Anh T.,
Nguyen Long T.,
Hwang Jongnam,
Nguyen Binh T.,
Nguyen Quynh T.,
g Vuong M.,
Vu Phu X.,
Ohinmaa Arto
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12032
Subject(s) - medicine , health care , ho chi minh , family medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , developing country , environmental health , low income , socioeconomics , economic growth , sociology , economics
Abstract Objective To assess the out‐of‐pocket ( OOP ) payments for health‐care services of HIV / AIDS patients, and identify associated factors in Vietnam. Methods Cross‐sectional multisite survey of 1016 HIV / AIDS patients attending 7 hospitals and health centres in Ha Noi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City in 2012. Results HIV/AIDS patients used inpatient and outpatient care on average 5.1 times (95% CI = 4.7–5.4) besides ART services. Inpatient care cost US$ 461 on average and outpatient care US$ 50. Mean annual health‐care expenditure for HIV/AIDS patients was US$ 188 (95% CI = 148–229). 35.1% of households (95% CI = 32.2–38.1) experienced catastrophic health expenditure; 73.3% (95% CI = 70.6–76.1) of households would be affected if ART were not subsidised. Being a patient at a provincial clinic, male sex, unstable employment, being in the poorest income quintile, a CD4 count of <200 cells/ mL and not yet receiving ART increased the likelihood of catastrophic medical expense. Conclusions HIV / AIDS patients in Vietnam frequently use medical services and incur OOP payments for health care. Scaling up free‐of‐charge ART services, earlier access to and initiation of ART , and decentralisation and integration of HIV / AIDS ‐related services could reduce their financial burden.