Equity in health care financing: study of familiar expenditure

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study intends to verify if the proportion of familiar income expended in health is higher among lower income categories, including in analysis confounding variables. 245 households were evaluated, selected from a survey sampling which represents Sorocaba population. Questionnaires included social and demographic characteristics of inhabitants and family heads, the sum of family income in a 30-day period and the sum of health expenses in a 90-day period before interview, presence of health problems, health services utilization and evaluation, and health plans coverage. Analysis included multiple linear regressions. The proportion of family income expended in health was higher for higher categories of education and for higher family head age, and was higher for private health plan owners; was lower for higher interval between interview and the last seeking for health care, lower for bigger families and for higher income categories. The situation of inequity in financing health care is confirmed even when data are adjusted by other confounding variables.