Newer Perspectives on the Burden of HIV/AIDS on Medical Expenditures of Individuals and Households

Abstract

That HIV/AIDS contributes towards severe economic hardships on individuals/households (HH) is well known. The objective of the present article, besides documenting the different economic implications of HIV/AIDS on medical expenditures of individuals/HHs, is to find through a comparative analysis if the expenses of HIV-positive respondents were significantly higher compared to those of all members from the control group of non-HIV/AIDS HHs taken together. On account of the peculiar nature and constraints involved, the study attempts the above through use of non-parametric tools of Chisquare and Mann–Whitney U. Findings reveal significant hardships faced by HIV/AIDS HHs, despite respondents opting more for free treatment; considering details of only one person per HH; often getting assistance from others like NGOs; and often not seeking treatment due to financial impediments—all unlike the control group.

Keywords

HIV/AIDS medical expenditures HIV/AIDS households treatment costs

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