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Burden of direct and indirect costs of illness: Empirical findings from slum settlements in Chennai, South India

Author

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  • Patrick Sakdapolrak

    (Department of Geography, University of Bonn Meckenheimer Allee 166, 53115 Bonn, Germany)

  • Thomas Seyler

    (French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, Saint Louis Street, 605 001 Pondicherry, India)

  • Christina Ergler

Abstract

According to a recent WHO report, around 100 million people are reduced to poverty every year due to costs associated with illness. Contributing to the growing literature on the economic burden of illness, this article examines the indirect and direct costs of illness that occur at the household level, describes their influence on treatment-seeking behaviour and assesses their impact on household welfare. The results presented are based on an empirical study carried out in slum settlements in the megacity of Chennai in South India. We show that the poorer section of slum dwellers suffer disproportionally from catastrophic illness costs despite the existence of free public health services. Policies need to be implemented that enhances the resilience of poor households against illness costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick Sakdapolrak & Thomas Seyler & Christina Ergler, 2013. "Burden of direct and indirect costs of illness: Empirical findings from slum settlements in Chennai, South India," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 13(2), pages 135-151, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:prodev:v:13:y:2013:i:2:p:135-151
    DOI: 10.1177/1464993412466506
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    1. Pavel, Md Sadik & Chakrabarty, Sayan & Gow, Jeff, 2015. "Cost of illness for outpatients attending public and private hospitals in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 74491, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 03 Sep 2016.

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