Out-Of- Pocket Expenditure Among Postnatal Patients In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Delhi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author : Dr. Sunanda Gupta

Abstract :Governments in many low-income settings, with high burdens of maternal mortality, provide schemes to encourage women for institutional childbirths. From the analysis of Indian data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-2016, it was observed that the mean total out-of-pocket expenditure was found to be 2278 INR for childbirth, in government facilities in India. Aim: Our study aims in assessing the out-of-pocket expenditure of postnatal women in a tertiary healthcare hospital. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the post-natal wards of a tertiary healthcare facility in New Delhi. All postnatal women present in the ward, without any complications, within five days of their delivery, were eligible for the study. In the said days, 312 women were approached, of them, 296 (94.87%) consented for the study. A self-developed pre-tested interview schedule was f illed. Results: The median age of participants was 24 (23-27) years. More than ninety percent of them were from urban areas. All participants except two, incurred out-of-pocket expenditure. Highest median expenditure was observed for loss of wages of attendants (INR 2400), followed by expenses for medicine (INR 2000) and blood transfusion (INR 2000). Almost three-fourth of the participants paid for the out-of-pocket expenditure by own wage/salary or pension. One-fourth of the participants used their savings for meeting the expenditure. Conclusion: Despite several government assistance schemes, the out-of-pocket expenditure continues to strain postpartum care.

Keywords :Childbirth costs, India, NFHS-4, Urban mothers, Government schemes, Postpartum care

Conference Name :National Conference on Medical and Health Sciences (NCMHS-25)

Conference Place Coimbatore, India

Conference Date 13th Apr 2025