Measuring catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Viet Nam

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 22; no. 9; pp. 983 - 990
• Main Authors: Nhung, N. V., Hoa, N. B., Anh, N. T., Anh, L. T. Ngoc, Siroka, A., Lönnroth, K., Garcia Baena, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01-09-2018; International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD)
• Subjects: Adult; Catastrophic; Cost; Costs; Costs and Cost Analysis - statistics & numerical data; Data collection; Dietary supplements; Family Characteristics; Family income; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Expenditures - statistics & numerical data; Households; Humans; Income; Income - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Multidrug resistance; Patient Costs; Patients; Polls & surveys; Retrospective Studies; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - economics; Tuberculosis - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - economics; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - epidemiology; Viet Nam; Vietnam - epidemiology; Vietnam; United States > US
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920; 1815-7920
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.17.0859

INTRODUCTION: Progress towards ending tuberculosis (TB) in Viet Nam includes monitoring the costs borne by patients through periodic facility-based surveys.OBJECTIVE: To document the magnitude of costs incurred by TB-affected households and establish a baseline for the top End TB
indicator in Viet Nam.METHODS: A national survey with retrospective data collection and projection among 735 participants in 20 stratified clusters was conducted in 2016. Each patient was interviewed on costs, time loss, coping measures and asset ownership. Total costs were expressed as
a proportion of annual household income.RESULTS: In Viet Nam, 63% of households affected by TB or multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) experienced costs that were >20% of their annual household income. The mean patient costs were respectively US$1054 and US$4302 per episode
of TB and MDR-TB. The most significant drivers of mean costs were income loss reported and purchase of special foods, nutritional supplements, travel and accommodation.CONCLUSION: The proportion of households experiencing catastrophic total costs due to TB in Viet Nam is high, which poses
a barrier to TB diagnosis and treatment. Based on study results, programme and partners need to identify key areas for policy action and work towards a national policy guide on intervention to reduce TB patient costs.