Health shocks, coping strategies and foregone healthcare among agricultural households in Kenya

Global Public Health
Igna Bonfrer, Emily Gustafsson-Wright

Abstract

Risks are a central part of life for households in low-income countries and health shocks in particular are associated with poverty. Formal mechanisms protecting households against the financial consequences of shocks are largely absent, especially among poor rural households. Our aim is to identify the relative importance of health shocks and to explore factors associated with coping behaviour and foregone care. We use a cross-sectional survey among 1226 randomly selected agricultural households in Kenya. In our sample, illness and injury shocks dominate all other shocks in prevalence. Almost 2% of households incurred catastrophic health expenditure in the last year. Using a probit model we identified the main coping strategies associated with facing a health shock: (1) use savings, (2) sell assets and (3) ask for gifts or loans. One in five households forewent necessary care in the last 12 months. We conclude that health shocks pose a significant risk to households. Implementing pre-payment or saving mechanisms might help protect households against the financial consequences of ill health. Such mechanisms, however, should take into account the competing shocks that agricultural households face, making it almost impossible to ...Continue Reading

References

Jul 18, 2003·Lancet·Ke XuChristopher J L Murray
Mar 26, 2004·Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH·Wim Van DammeBruno Meessen
Nov 24, 2004·Journal of Health Economics·Maarten Lindeboom, Eddy van Doorslaer
Aug 19, 2007·Health Economics·Teresa Bago d'UvaOwen O'Donnell
Dec 1, 2007·The International Journal of Health Planning and Management·Inke MathauerMaurice Wenyaa
Mar 28, 2008·Journal of Health Economics·Guido Erreygers
Jul 18, 2008·Health Economics·Paul GertlerEnrico Moretti
Sep 5, 2008·Journal of Development Economics·Suzanne DuryeaDeborah Levison
Nov 26, 2008·Bulletin of the World Health Organization·Adam Leive, Ke Xu
Apr 25, 2009·Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH·Manuela De AllegriSteffen Flessa
Aug 25, 2009·Lancet·Laurie GarrettAriel Pablos-Méndez
Jul 30, 2010·Health Policy and Planning·Emily Gustafsson-WrightJacques van der Gaag
Feb 23, 2011·International Review of Psychiatry·Rutger Jan Van Der Gaag
Jul 9, 2013·Health Economics·Robert SparrowAsep Suryahadi
Oct 12, 2013·Health Policy and Planning·Igna BonfrerEddy Van Doorslaer
Mar 22, 2014·International Journal for Equity in Health·Eunice Nahyuha ChomiAngwara Dennis Kiwara
Dec 17, 2014·Biology Open·Debjit RayPing Ye
Jan 1, 2002·The American Economic Review·Paul Gertler, Jonathan Gruber

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 26, 2020·Health Services Management Research : an Official Journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration·Rinshu Dwivedi, Jalandhar Pradhan
Apr 19, 2020·BMC Health Services Research·Purity NjagiWim Groot
Jun 24, 2020·BMC Public Health·Peter O OtienoHermann Pythagore Pierre Donfouet

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

STATA

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.