Analysis of multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) financial protection policy: MDR-TB health insurance schemes, in Chhattisgarh state, India

Social protection as a right of people affected by tuberculosis: a scoping review and conceptual framework

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease strongly influenced by social determinants closely associated with cycles of poverty and social exclusion. Within this context, providing social protection for people affected by the disease constitutes a powerful instrument for reducing inequalities and enhancing inclusion and social justice. This study aimed to identify and synthesize strategies and measures aimed at ensuring social protection as a right of people affected by tuberculosis.

METHODS

This is a scoping review, with searches conducted in six databases in February 2023. We included publications from 2015 onwards that elucidate strategies and measures of social protection aimed at safeguarding the rights to health, nutrition, employment, income, housing, social assistance, and social security for people affected by tuberculosis. These strategies could be implemented through policies, programs, and/or governmental agreements in any given context. The data extracted from the articles underwent descriptive analysis and a narrative synthesis of findings based on the dimensions of social protection. Additionally, we developed a conceptual framework illustrating the organizational and operational aspects of measures and strategies related to each dimension of social protection identified in this review.

RESULTS

A total of 9317 publications were retrieved from the databases, of which sixty-three publications were included. The study's results highlighted measures and strategies concerning the social protection of people affected by tuberculosis. These measures and strategies revolved around the rights to proper nutrition and nourishment, income, housing, and health insurance, as well as expanded rights encompassing social assistance and social welfare. It was reported that ensuring these rights contributes to improving nutritional status and the quality of life for individuals with tuberculosis, along with reducing catastrophic costs, expanding access to healthcare interventions and services, and fostering TB treatment adherence, thereby leading to higher rates of TB cure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings identify social protection measures as a right for people affected by tuberculosis and have the potential to guide the development of evidence-based social and health policies through collaboration between tuberculosis control programs and governmental entities.

A Dual Perspective of Psycho-Social Barriers and Challenges Experienced by Drug-Resistant TB Patients and Their Caregivers through the Course of Diagnosis and Treatment: Findings from a Qualitative Study in Bengaluru and Hyderabad Districts of South India

Qualitative insights regarding psycho-social barriers and challenges experienced by drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients and their caregivers are understudied in India. We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured qualitative interviews among treatment-completed DR-TB patients (n = 20) and caregivers (n = 20) in Bengaluru and Hyderabad districts, which represented two different socio-cultural settings in South India. Criterion sampling was used for recruiting the eligible participants who completed treatment with adherence. "Emotional issues and social barriers" were identified to represent a major challenge for patients and caregivers, which occurred acutely after disease diagnosis, characterized by fear and emotional distress due to their perceived loss of life prospects, severity of symptoms, discomfort, and disease denial. Medication intolerance, chronic symptoms, lack of visible signs of treatment progress, loss of weight, and physical concerns caused subsequent fear and distress during the treatment phases for patients along with experiences of stigma. External triggers generated "decisive moments" of hopelessness and life-ending thoughts for patients at the diagnosis and early treatment phase. Medication related challenges included the perceived burden and power of pills which caused emotional distress for patients and intolerance towards caregivers. Pill burden was found as consequential as the side effects of injections. Challenges related to lack of support were another major theme, in which caregivers lacked resources for treatment support and nutrition. Throughout treatment, caregivers and patients expressed concern about a lack of supportive care from family members, sympathy, and intangible social support. Challenges during hospital admission in terms of lack of privacy, quality of services, individual attention, and empathy from health care workers were reported by patients and caregivers. Despite better adherence, DR-TB patients and caregivers experienced considerable emotional and social consequences. Differentiating DR-TB patients and caregivers' issues at different stages of diagnosis and treatment could help improve patient-centered outcomes in India and other high-burden nations.

Using an equity-based framework for evaluating publicly funded health insurance programmes as an instrument of UHC in Chhattisgarh State, India

BACKGROUND

Universal health coverage (UHC) has provided the impetus for the introduction of publicly funded health insurance (PFHI) schemes in the mixed health systems of India and many other low- and middle-income countries. There is a need for a holistic understanding of the pathways of impact of PFHI schemes, including their role in promoting equity of access.

METHODS

This paper applies an equity-oriented evaluation framework to assess the impacts of PFHI schemes in Chhattisgarh State by synthesising literature from various sources and highlighting knowledge gaps. Data were collected from an extensive review of publications on PFHI schemes in Chhattisgarh since 2009, including empirical studies from the first author's PhD and grey literature such as programme evaluation reports, media articles and civil society campaign documents. The framework was constructed using concepts and frameworks from the health policy and systems research literature on UHC, access and health system building blocks, and is underpinned by the values of equity, human rights and the right to health.

RESULTS

The analysis finds that evidence of equitable enrolment in Chhattisgarh's PFHI scheme may mask many other inequities. Firstly, equitable enrolment does not automatically lead to the acceptability of the scheme for the poor or to equity in utilisation. Utilisation, especially in the private sector, is skewed towards the areas that have the least health and social need. Secondly, related to this, resource allocation patterns under PFHI deepen the 'infrastructure inequality trap', with resources being effectively transferred from tribal and vulnerable to 'better-off' areas and from the public to the private sector. Thirdly, PFHI fails in its fundamental objective of effective financial protection. Technological innovations, such as the biometric smart card and billing systems, have not provided the necessary safeguards nor led to greater accountability.

CONCLUSION

The study shows that development of PFHI schemes, within the context of wider neoliberal policies promoting private sector provisioning, has negative consequences for health equity and access. More research is needed on key knowledge gaps related to the impact of PFHI schemes on health systems. An over-reliance on and rapid expansion of PFHI schemes in India is unlikely to achieve UHC.

Association of Tuberculosis With Household Catastrophic Expenditure in South India

IMPORTANCE

The high household costs associated with tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment can create barriers to access and adherence, highlighting the urgency of achieving the World Health Organization's End TB Strategy target that no TB-affected households should face catastrophic costs by 2020.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the occurrence of catastrophic costs associated with TB diagnosis and treatment and to identify socioeconomic indicators associated with catastrophic costs in a setting where TB control strategies have been implemented effectively.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In this cross-sectional study, 455 patients with TB in the Chennai metropolitan area of South India who were treated under the TB control program between February 2017 and March 2018 were interviewed. Patients were interviewed by trained field investigators at 3 time points: at the initiation of treatment, at the end of the intensive phase of treatment, and at the end of the continuation phase of treatment. A precoded interview schedule was used to collect information on demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics and direct medical, direct nonmedical, and indirect costs. Data analysis was performed from August 2018 to November 2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Direct, indirect, and total costs to patients with TB. Catastrophic costs associated with TB were defined as costs exceeding 20% of the household's annual income. A binary response model was used to determine the factors that were significantly associated with catastrophic costs.

RESULTS

Of 455 patients with TB interviewed, 205 (53%) were aged 19 to 45 years (mean [SD] age, 38.4 [16.0] years), 128 (33%) were female, 72 (19%) were illiterate, 126 (33%) were employed, and 186 (48%) had a single earning member in the family (percentages are based on the 384 patients who were interviewed through the end of the continuation phase of treatment). Sixty-one percent of patients (234 patients) had pulmonary smear positive TB. The proportion of patients with catastrophic costs was 31%. Indirect costs contributed more toward catastrophic cost than did direct costs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that unemployment (adjusted odds ratio, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.5; P < .001) and higher annual household income (Rs 1-200 000, adjusted odds ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.7; P = .004; Rs >200 000, adjusted odds ratio, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.5; P < .001) were associated with a decreased likelihood of experiencing catastrophic costs.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Despite the implementation of free diagnostic and treatment services under a national TB control program, TB-affected households had a high risk of catastrophic costs and further impoverishment. There is an urgent demand to provide additional financial protection for patients with TB.

Survival analysis of time to cure on multi-drug resistance tuberculosis patients in Amhara region, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is caused by bacteria that are resistant to the most effective anti-tuberculosis drug. The MDR-TB is an increasing global problem and the spread of MDR-TB has different recovery time for different patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the recovery time of MDR-TB patients in Amhara region, Ethiopia.

METHOD

A retrospective study was carried out in seven hospitals having MDR-TB treatment center of Amhara region, Ethiopia from September 2015 to February 2018. An accelerated failure time and parametric shared frailty models were employed.

RESULTS

The study revealed that the recovery time of MDR-TB patients in Amhara region was 21 months. Out of the total MDR-TB patients, 110 (35.4%) censored and 201 (64.6%) cured of MDR-TB. The clustering effect of frailty model was hospitals and the Weibull-gamma shared frailty model was selected among all and hence used for this study. The study showed that extra pulmonary MDR-TB patients had longer recovery time than that of seamier pulmonary MDR-TB patients in Amhara region, Ethiopia. According to this study, male MDR-TB patients, MDR-TB patients with co-morbidity and clinical complication were experiencing longer recovery time than that of the counter groups. This study also showed that MDR-TB patients with poor adherence had longer recovery time than those with good adherence MDR-TB patients.

CONCLUSION

Among different factors considered in this study, MDR-TB type, clinical complication, adherence, co-morbidities, sex, and smoking status had a significant effect on recovery time of MDR-TB patients in Amhara region, Ethiopia. In conclusion, the Regional and Federal Government of Ethiopia should take immediate steps to address causes of recovery time of MDR-TB patients in Amhara region through encouraging adherence, early case detection, and proper handling of drug-susceptibility according to WHO guidelines.

Assessing geographical inequity in availability of hospital services under the state-funded universal health insurance scheme in Chhattisgarh state, India, using a composite vulnerability index

BACKGROUND

Countries are increasingly adopting health insurance schemes for achieving Universal Health Coverage. India's state-funded health insurance scheme covers hospital care provided by 'empanelled' private and public hospitals.

OBJECTIVE

This paper assesses geographical equity in availability of hospital services under the universal health insurance scheme in Chhattisgarh state.

METHODS

The study makes use of district data from the insurance scheme and government surveys. Selected socio-economic indicators are combined to form a composite vulnerability index, which is used to rank and group the state's 27 districts into tertiles, named as highest, middle and lowest vulnerability districts (HVDs, MVDs, LVDs). Indicators of hospital service availability under the scheme - insurance coverage, number of empanelled private/public hospitals, numbers and amounts of claims - are compared across districts and tertiles. Two measures of inequality, difference and ratio, are used to compare availability between tertiles.

RESULTS

The study finds that there is a geographical pattern to vulnerability in Chhattisgarh state. Vulnerability increases with distance from the state's centre towards the periphery. The highest vulnerability districts have the highest insurance coverage, but the lowest availability of empanelled hospitals (3.4 hospitals per 100,000 enrolled in HVDs, vs 8.2/100,000 enrolled in LVDs). While public sector hospitals are distributed equally, the distribution of private hospitals across tertiles is highly unequal, with higher availability in LVDs. The number of claims (per 100,000 enrolled) in the HVDs is 3.5-times less than that in the LVDs. The claim amounts show a similar pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

Although insurance coverage is higher in the more vulnerable districts, availability of hospital services is inversely proportional to vulnerability and, therefore, the need for these services. Equitable enrolment in health insurance schemes does not automatically translate into equitable access to healthcare, which is also dependent on availability and specific dynamics of service provision under the scheme.