Abstract
Aims:
Dengue fever, transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, presents a wide clinical spectrum ranging from mild febrile illness to severe manifestations such as dengue hemorrhagic fever. It poses a substantial global health concern, with India significantly contributing to its burden. Factors such as rapid urbanization, population density, and favorable climatic conditions facilitate its spread, particularly in states like Odisha. This study aimed to estimate the financial burden imposed by dengue on households in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and to explore the coping strategies adopted by these households to address the financial burden of dengue.
Methods:
A case-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May and July 2022 in Bhubaneswar, part of Khordha District. A total of 200 laboratory-confirmed dengue patients were enrolled. Quantitative data on sociodemographic details, health facility choices, and expenditure specifics were collected using structured questionnaires. In-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of patients and caregivers to understand the broader socioeconomic impact. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and linear regression.
Results:
Majority of patients were urban residents, predominantly males aged 21–40 years. Private healthcare incurred significantly higher costs than government facilities (INR 21,859 versus INR 1225). The average out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) was INR 5567, disproportionately affecting females, older age groups, higher-income individuals, and married participants. Most households (93%) utilized savings, while only 3% relied on health insurance as a coping strategy.
Conclusion:
Dengue fever inflicts a considerable financial and emotional toll on households in Odisha. The findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen public health infrastructure, increase awareness of financial protection schemes, regulate private healthcare costs, and integrate psychosocial support into dengue management strategies.
Plain Language Summary
Why was the study done? Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes, and its symptoms range from mild fever to severe dengue hemorrhagic fever – a life-threatening situation. While it is a health issue worldwide, India contributes to the high burden of dengue cases and deaths each year. Factors such as crowding of cities, an increase in population density, and favorable climatic conditions for mosquito growth result in the spread of the dengue virus, particularly in states like Odisha. Therefore, this study estimates the treatment cost borne by households in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on dengue, and explores the coping strategies adopted by these households to deal with the financial burden of dengue. What did the researchers do? This study was conducted between May and July 2022 in Bhubaneswar. A total of 200 dengue-positive patients were included in the study. Basic information, such as sociodemographic details, health facility choices, and expenditure specifics, was collected from the patients using a set of structured questionnaires. To get a deeper understanding, interviews were conducted with some of the patients and caregivers. What did the researchers find? The majority of patients were from urban areas, males aged 21–40 years. Those who received care in private healthcare facilities incurred higher costs than in government facilities (INR 21,859 versus INR 1225). On average, families spent INR 5567 from their pockets to treat dengue. Higher cost of treatment was reported mainly among females, older age groups, higher-income individuals, and married participants. Most households (93%) paid for the treatment by using their saving, while only 3% used health insurance schemes to pay for the treatment cost. What do the findings mean? These findings indicate that there is a need for improving government health facilities, financial schemes to support healthcare, regulating costs in private health facilities, and providing psychosocial support to patient and their families.
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