Household Healthcare Expenditure (Out-of-Pocket) Distribution Pattern in Kenya

Abstract

Background: This is a retrospective study that examines the household healthcare expenditure (Out-of-pocket) in an African countries-Kenya. Generally, there is a limited body of knowledge in this area of focus in Africa, therefore, this study serves to impact on the available knowledge and inform health policy and program implementation. Methodology: The study was carried out using raw data from 2004/2005 household survey obtained from the Kenyan Bureau of statistics. In all, 1340 households representing a household per cluster of ten out of a total of 13,340 households selected were analyzed. Descriptive data analysis was done. Further results were achieved by analyzing average household income and average household healthcare expenditure. Comparative analysis was done based on settlements and across the eight districts. Result: The study of Out of Pocket (OOP) Household Healthcare Expenditure Distribution Pattern in Kenya shows that lower income groups were found to be having highest household healthcare (OOP) expenditure while the highest income groups have the lowest out of pocket healthcare expenditure. Generally, the urban settlement with higher income has lower Household Healthcare Expenditure and vice versa. Overall, the rural settlement accounts for 58% of the total out-of-pocket household healthcare expenditure with the urban settlement accounting for the remaining 42%. Further analysis show varying percentage of household expenditure by district with the North/Eastern Province with low average household income at 332.9Kshs having the highest average Household out of pocket healthcare expenditure at 71.7%.