Analysis of Exposure of Households to Catastrophic Expenditures of Oral and Dental Health Care in Ahvaz City

Ali  Feizi; Bahar  Hafezi; Saeed Bagheri  Faradonbeh; Shahram  Tofighi

doi:10.18502/mshsj.v8i3.14469

Ali Feizi Ph.D. student of Health Economics, Department of Economics‚ Khomeinishahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr, Isfahan, Iran
Bahar Hafezi Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Khomeinishahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr, Isfahan, Iran
Saeed Bagheri Faradonbeh Assistant Professor, Department of Healthcare Services Management, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Shahram Tofighi Associate Professor, Department of Forecasting, Theory building and Health Observatory, Medical Academy of IRI, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/mshsj.v8i3.14469

Keywords: Exposure, Expenditure, Oral and dental health, Catastrophic

Abstract

Background: The treatment of oral and dental diseases is expensive all over the world and these diseases are considered the fourth most expensive diseases. The aim of the present study is analysis of exposure of households to catastrophic expenditures of oral and dental health care in Ahvaz city.

Methods: The present cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 715 households living in Ahvaz city in 2022using multistage sampling. Collecting the data was done through a questionnaire, and logistic model and Stata ₁₇ software were used to analyze the data and estimate the elasticity of influencing factors.

Results: According to the results of the study, the ratio of oral and dental health expenditures to household payment capacity was 59.03 %, and 52.16 % of households faced catastrophic expenditures. Also, supplementary insurances with Odd Ratio(OR) = 1.39, living in the southern region with OR= 1.08, and being in the 2^nd income quintile with OR = 1.1 had a strengthening role in facing catastrophic expenditures.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, in order to reduce the negative effects of oral and dental health expenditures, it seems necessary to modify the financing policies of these services and move towards equity in financing through increasing insurance coverage.