Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and one of the major health problems in China. The country is estimated to have 1 million cases of tuberculosis annually.  

Researchers have called for improved universal healthcare to be implemented in order to cut down the cost of Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE) for low income patients, according to Infectious Diseases of Poverty, an open access health journal, Eurekalert reports.

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CHE is considered an 'out-of-pocket' payment for healthcare, which is based on the criteria that the expense exceeds a huge portion of the household income.  Out of pocket payments for the care of tuberculosis-affected patients include: diagnostic procedures, medical treatments and non-medical expenses.

In a recent study that involved 747 TB cases, up to 95 percent of the patients that availed CHE came from the poorest households, according to the researchers of the National Center for TB Control and Prevention, China CDC and Shandong University.

The study's measurement was based on the most commonly used variables such as annual household income, on-food expenditure and the income left in a household after the requirement of food has been met.

The researchers stated that there are a lot of factors that can trigger a household to avail CHE. Major factors include unemployment, old age and patient income. There is an increase probability that CHE will be experienced if the household has less income earners. Minimum living security also plays a part in experiencing CHE since this is a part of a government subsidy with an objective to have a minimum standard of living.

The important aspects of this study such as the annual household income for food and healthcare was based on self-reported information, this data is oftentimes subjected to recall biases. The study centered on TB patients, who were admitted in local care facilities and hospitals and did not come from the impoverished areas.

The researchers concluded that through the expansion of CHE's free treatment and inclusion of transport cost and health supplements covered by the universal healthcare is highly required to lower households affected by CHE in China. This move may have positive effects towards the economy as Tuberculosis frequently affects people aged 15-54, the most economically efficient age bracket in China.

Tagsimproved healthcare, personal cost, Tuberculosis, china