Household catastrophic health expenditures for rheumatoid arthritis: a single centre study from South India

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not only has a physical and emotional toll but also has a substantial economic impact. This study aims to estimate the burden of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) on households due to RA in Tamil Nadu, India. We conducted cross-sectional descriptive hospital-based single-centre study at a tertiary care private multispecialty hospital in Tamil Nadu, India. The study comprised 320 RA patients who visited the outpatient clinic from April to October 2022. Demographic and baseline descriptive characteristics were reported. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify major determinants associated with CHE. We also examined the inequality in household annual income and CHE. Most study participants were females (88.1%) with a mean age (SD) of 55.57 ± 12.29 years. About 93% of RA patients were from urban areas, and 89.4% were literate. Only 8.1% of respondents reported having health insurance. Households experiencing CHE owing to RA were 51.4% (n = 162). The mean (95% CI) annual health expenditure for treating RA is ₹44,700 (₹41,710 to 47,690) with a median (IQR) of ₹39,210 (₹25,500) [$476 ($310)]. The corresponding mean (95% CI) and median (IQR) Out of pocket expenditure among RA patients per household were ₹40,698 (₹38,249 to 43,148) [$494 ($464 to $524)] and ₹36,450 (23,070) [$442 ($280)] respectively. Nearly half of the households with RA patients had a financial catastrophe due to healthcare costs being paid out-of-pocket and limited health insurance coverage. The results underscore the need for comprehensive approaches to strengthening public health policies along with financial risk protection and quality care in India.