HOUSEHOLD COPING STRATEGIES FOR DELIVERY CARE COSTS: FINDINGS FROM A RURAL DISTRICT OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Aim: Objective of the existing study is to find out the associated factor of which play significant role in financing OOPE in choice of delivery by households in district Rajanpur, Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: In Pakistan health expenditure is a main issue when it commes to Out-of-pocket expenditure is considered as major challeneg. Housholds resort to different coping strategies with the increase in OOPE on health care, including maternal care.

Material and Methods:Nature of the data was cross-sectional and study setting and location was in district Rajanpur, a predominantly rural district in Pakistan. Data was collected in time period of october 2020 to december 2020 from 368 mothers using multi-stage random sampling, in the selected Basic Health Unit areas were included in the study. Data were collected through a pretested inteview schedule translated in Urudu langage.

Results: Savings or current income were the primary sources of financing OOPE on delivery care by 90% of respondents, followed by borrowing reported by 35% of respondents who borrowed money from friends and relatives to cope with the current expenditure on delivery. Low-income families used multiple sources to meet the burden of OOPE, and a significant proportion of them had resorted to borrowing (41.5%) and sale of household assets (23%) to meet OOPE on delivery care. The study concludes that despite various government initiatives to improve maternal healthcare services in Pakistan, most rural families have incurred OOPE in seeking delivery care.