1. Cost structure of healthcare in Kaloleni Subcounty (Kilifi, Kenya) from the patient perspective: Measuring the impact of direct healthcare costs on patients
- Author
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Kazungu, Francis Katana
- Subjects
- Public Health, Health Sciences, Health Care, direct healthcare costs, kaloleni, kenya, malaria, cost structure, rural health, nhif, disparities in healthcare, healthcare in lmic, medicine, consultation, diagnostic, devolution, healthcare financing
- Abstract
Access to quality, affordable, and reliable healthcare has been a long-standing challenge in rural areas of developing countries. Rural households often incur high out-of-pocket expenditure for healthcare, resulting in a significant cost burden when seeking treatment for an illness. This study aimed to examine the cost structure of healthcare in a rural, underserved community in the Kaloleni Subcounty of Kilifi, Kenya. We measured the impact of direct healthcare costs on a sample of 37 households, along with the coping strategies and treatment-seeking behavior arising from these costs. Direct healthcare costs were grouped into 3 categories: consultation, diagnostic, and medicine fees. Results show that medicine was the highest direct healthcare cost, accounting for 64% of all expenses paid during an episode of illness. Direct healthcare costs also comprised over 12% of the monthly household expenditure in these households, with the lowest-earning homes being disproportionately affected. Malaria was the most common illness reported in the study area, accounting for 37% of all illness cases. Several strategies are proposed to ease the burden of direct healthcare costs. These include government subsidies for community-level healthcare facilities, increasing the availability of medicines, and improving the distribution/use of treated mosquito bed nets to prevent malaria transmission.
- Published
- 2022