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Who is making informal payments for public healthcare in East-Central Europe? An evaluation of socio-economic and spatial variations

Author

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  • Colin WILLIAMS

    (University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom)

  • Ioana HORODNIC

    (Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania)

  • Adrian HORODNIC

    (Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania)

Abstract

Informal patient payments are a widespread phenomenon in post-communist countries. In order to identify who is more likely to make informal payments in East-Central Europe, a 2013 survey is used. Reporting data from Special Eurobarometer No. 397 (‘Corruption’), the finding is that patients in Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are significantly more likely to make extra informal payments or to give valuable gifts to medical practitioners or to make a hospital donation additional to the official fees. Women are more likely to make informal payments for healthcare services whilst unemployed patients or those never or almost never having difficulties in paying bills are less likely to make informal payments. The implications of the findings are then explored, displaying the population groups and spaces that need targeting when seeking to tackle informal patient payments.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin WILLIAMS & Ioana HORODNIC & Adrian HORODNIC, 2016. "Who is making informal payments for public healthcare in East-Central Europe? An evaluation of socio-economic and spatial variations," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7, pages 49-61, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:jes:journl:y:2016:v:7:p:49-61
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Giannouchos, Theodoros V. & Ukert, Benjamin & Vozikis, Athanassios & Steletou, Evangelia & Souliotis, Kyriakos, 2021. "Informal out-of-pocket payments experience and individuals’ willingness-to-pay for healthcare services in Greece," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(6), pages 693-700.
    2. Franić Josip & Kojouharov Anton, 2019. "Informal payments by patients in Croatia: benign custom or detrimental residue from socialism?," Croatian Review of Economic, Business and Social Statistics, Sciendo, vol. 5(2), pages 49-63, December.
    3. Colin C Williams & Junhong Yang, 2017. "Tackling falsely-declared salaries in Bulgaria: evidence from a 2015 survey," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 3, pages 333-351, September.
    4. C. Williams, Colin & Bezeredi, Slavko, 2017. "Tackling The Illegal Practice Of Under-Reporting Employees’ Wages: Lessons From The Republic Of Macedonia," UTMS Journal of Economics, University of Tourism and Management, Skopje, Macedonia, vol. 8(3), pages 243-258.
    5. Williams, Colin C. & Horodnic, Adrian V., 2017. "Rethinking informal payments by patients in Europe: An institutional approach," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(10), pages 1053-1062.
    6. Colin C. WILLIAMS & Josip FRANIC, 2017. "Tackling the illegitimate under-reporting of salaries in Southeast Europe: some lessons from a 2015 survey in Bulgaria, Croatia and FYR Macedonia," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 8, pages 5-28, June.
    7. Williams Colin C. & Yang Junhong, 2017. "Evaluating the Use of Personal Networks to Circumvent Formal Processes: A Case Study of Vruzki in Bulgaria," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 57-67, April.
    8. C. Williams, Colin & Bezeredi, Slavko, 2017. "Evaluating The Use Of Personal Connections To Bypass Formal Procedures: A Study Of Vrski In Republic Of Macedonia," UTMS Journal of Economics, University of Tourism and Management, Skopje, Macedonia, vol. 8(2), pages 169-182.
    9. Adrian V. Horodnic & Colin C. Williams & Răzvan Ionuț Drugă & Cristian Incaltarau, 2021. "Informal Payments by Patients in Central and Eastern Europe during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Institutional Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-17, October.
    10. Ioana Alexandra HORODNIC & Colin C WILLIAMS & Rodica IANOLE-CÄ‚LIN, 2020. "Does higher cash-in-hand income motivate young people to engage in under-declared employment?," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 11, pages 48-69, December.

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