M Yousefi , A Assari Arani , B Sahabi , A Kazemnejad ,
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2014)
Abstract
Background: Today, the lack of financial protection against the health costs is recognized as a major flaw in the health systems. It seems that the first step towards solving this problem is exact identification of household health expenditure`s components which will result in better selection of prevention policies and appropriate procedures to solve the problem.
Materials and Methods: This study is a qualitative research conducted in two stages. The first stage consisted of interview with a sample formed by households from eight provinces of the country to identify the different components of household health expenditure. After that, a panel of experts categorized the identified components to direct and indirect costs.
Results: In The first stage, 93 kinds of households’ health expenditure were identified. In the next stage, 61 cases of these were categorized as direct costs and the other 32 cases were categorized as indirect costs.
Conclusion: The exact identification of the components of health expenditure of households and dividing them into two categories of direct and indirect costs can be useful for a more accurate calculation of the household health expenditure in future studies.
Kamran Irandoust, Jafar Yahyavi Dizaj, Hiwa Mirzaii, Faroogh Na'emani,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (9-2021)
Abstract
Background & Aims of study: Service delivery is known as the most tangible function of the health system and hospitals are the most obvious manifestation of this function. Also, one of the most important factors in creating catastrophic health expenditures is the use of hospital services; therefore, in the present study, an attempt was made to describe the share of hospital service costs from total household health expenditures.
Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was performed retrospectively for the period of 2011 to 2015. The study was done using the Household Expenditure and Income Survey (HEIS) which is conducted annually by the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI). Based on the designed model, the share of hospital costs from household health expenditure was determined by year and type of services in urban and rural areas.
Results: On average, 18.5% of households used hospital services and about 28.7% of household health expenditure had been spent on receiving health services from hospitals. The average cost of household hospital medical services was 92.4% in urban areas and 91.4% in rural areas. On average, 51% of the cost of household medical services in hospitals was related to public hospitals, and the highest cost spent by households in public hospitals was allocated to surgery.
Conclusion: The share of hospital services costs and the rate of use of these services among Iranian households are significant, which may lead to poverty and catastrophic health expenditures. Therefore, it is necessary for health decision makers to design and implement evidence-based policies to manage and control this part of health costs.
