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Incidence and intensity of catastrophic health expenditure by household composition: Evidence from Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Sanjay K Mohanty, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Umakanta Sahoo, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Rashmi Rashmi, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Using a total of 42,949 households from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India, 2018-19 this paper estimate the incidence and intensity of catastrophic health spending (CHE) among older adults. Households were categorised into three mutually exclusive groups; households with elderly members only, households with non-elderly and elderly members and households without elderly members. The incidence and intensity of CHE were estimated using capacity to pay approach. The concentration curve was used to examine the extent of inequality in CHE. Binary logistic regression was used to understand the potential predictors of CHE. Incidence of catastrophic health spending was estimated at 17.9% (95% CI: 0.175-0.182) among older adults in India; 25.5% (95% CI: 0.242-0.269) among households with only elderly members, 18.4% (95% CI: 0.179-0.189) among households with both elderly and non-elderly members and 15% (95% CI: 0.145-0.155) among households without elderly members. The intensity of CHE was also highest among households with elderly members only. The concentration index suggest that the CHE is pro-poor among each type of households. Elderly household, female headed households and households residing in rural areas had higher probability of incurring CHE. Both incidence and intensity of CHE in India was higher among households with elderly members.

Keywords: Longitudinal studies, Population ageing, Older adults, Inequality

See paper.

  Presented in Session P19.