Publication
Title
The out-of-pocket burden of chronic diseases : the cases of Belgian, Czech and German older adults
Author
Abstract
Background Out-of-pocket payments have a diverse impact on the burden of those with a higher morbidity or the chronically ill. As the prevalence of chronic diseases increases with age, older adults are a vulnerable group. The paper aims to evaluate the impact of chronic diseases on the out-of-pocket payments burden of the 50+ populations in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Germany. Methods Data from the sixth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe is used. A two-part model with a logit model in the first part and a generalised linear model in the second part is applied. Results The diseases increasing the burden in the observed countries are heart attacks, high blood pressure, cancer, emotional disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Reflecting country differences Parkinson’s disease and its drug burden is relevant in Belgium, the drugs burden related to heart attack and outpatient care burden to chronic kidney disease in the Czech Republic and the outpatient care burden of cancer and chronic lung disease in Germany. In addition, we confirm the regressive character of out-of-pocket payments. Conclusions We conclude that the burden is not equitably distributed among older adults with chronic diseases. Identification of chronic diseases with a high burden can serve as a supplementary protective feature.
Language
English
Source (journal)
BMC health services research. - London
Publication
London : 2021
ISSN
1472-6963
DOI
10.1186/S12913-021-06259-W
Volume/pages
21 :1 (2021) , p. 1-13
Article Reference
239
ISI
000630347700003
Pubmed ID
33731090
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Upgrading the survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe - preparatory phase. (SHARE-PREP)
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 30.04.2021
Last edited 02.10.2024
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