Impact of Heart Failure on Household Economic Well-being

Heart failure (HF), which is an emerging public health issue, adversely affects the already strained health system in India. Globally, HF unfavorably impacts the economic well-being of the affected individuals and their families, Further, HF is known to push the affected individuals and their dependents into poverty. However, there is limited research quantifying how HF impacts the economic well-being of households from low and middle-income countries. We describe the methods of a detailed economic impact assessment of HF in India. The economic impact study in HF is initiated across 20 centres in India. The selected centres represent different regions in India stratified based on the prevailing stage of epidemiological transition. We aim to collect data from 1800 patients who were admitted with acute decompensated HF and within 6-15 months of follow-up. The data that we intend to collect will consist of a) household healthcare expenditure including out-of-pocket expenditure, b) financing mechanisms used by households and (c) the impoverishing effects of health expenditures including distress financing and catastrophic health expenditure. The results from the study will help policy makers in understanding the micro-economic impact of HF in India and aid in allocation of appropriate resources for prevention and control of HF.