Mexico’s household health expenditure on diabetes and hypertension: What is the additional financial burden?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of the association between overall household health expenditures & the presence of members with a chronic disease in the household. RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis of a probabilistic household survey, which gathered data on previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension as well as health expenditure in Mexico. From an analytic sample of 44,000 households, we identified those having at least one member with diabetes or hypertension and determined their health expenditure. Using matching procedures, we compared these data with those of households lacking such individuals. RESULTS: We found that 24% of the households had at least one member who had been diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, or both. Households with such members reported health expenditures that were 25%–34% (P <0.01) higher than households without such individuals. Such differences were more pronounced among households at lower socioeconomic levels and among those with no or limited health insurance. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to their impact on individual health, chronic ailments exert financial pressure on households. The additional health-care expenditure for households owing to such diseases leaves them financially exposed—especially households with lower income levels.