Caste Inequality in Medical Crowdfunding in India

Abstract

Medical crowdfunding has gained significant popularity and importance, yet researchers argue that it might not offer equitable financial assistance to vulnerable groups. Studies in Western countries have highlighted disparities in medical crowdfunding based on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic dimensions. Despite this, the equity implications of crowdfunding in India have not been thoroughly investigated. We present the initial empirical evidence indicating caste-based inequalities in medical crowdfunding within India. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset comprising 5527 medical crowdfunding campaigns from one of India’s largest platforms, we evaluate the impact of the recipient’s caste identity on campaign outcomes. Our methodology utilises administrative data to deduce caste from the recipient’s surname. Campaigns by individuals from dominant caste groups tend to garner higher funds compared to those from marginalised castes, largely due to higher average donations. Furthermore, individuals from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (marginalised groups in India) initiate disproportionately fewer campaigns than dominant castes. Our findings remain robust across various performance metrics and alternative model specifications, even after adjusting for multiple campaign features and recipient locations. In summary, our study highlights how crowdfunding on for-profit platforms may exacerbate existing caste-related health disparities in India by disproportionately favouring privileged groups.