Healthcare cost coverage inequality and its impact on hypertension and diabetes: A five-year follow-up study in a Malaysian rural community

Adeola Folayan; Quek Kia Fatt; Mark Wing Loong Cheong; Tin Tin Su

doi:10.1002/hsr2.1880

Healthcare cost coverage inequality and its impact on hypertension and diabetes: A five-year follow-up study in a Malaysian rural community

Health Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 15;7(2):e1880. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.1880. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Authors

Adeola Folayan¹, Quek Kia Fatt², Mark Wing Loong Cheong³, Tin Tin Su¹

Affiliations

¹ South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences Monash University Malaysia Jalan Lagoon Selatan Bandar Sunway Selangor Malaysia.
² Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences Monash University Malaysia Jalan Lagoon Selatan Bandar Sunway Selangor Malaysia.
³ Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy Monash University Malaysia Jalan Lagoon Selatan Bandar Sunway Selangor Malaysia.

Abstract

Background and aims: Inequality in health care access is a socioeconomic driver for non-communicable disease related risk factors. This study examined the inequality trend in healthcare cost coverage (HCC) compared to private health insurance (PHI) coverage, a subtype of HCC, over 5 years. The study will also determine the association between HCC (and PHI) and the status of hypertension and diabetes diagnosis.

Method: The rich-poor ratio, concentration curve and concentration index were derived to determine the level of inequality. Furthermore, logistic regression was done to determine the association between HCC and the status of hypertension and diabetes.

Results: The PHI group (rich-poor ratio: 1.4 [rich: 454, poor: 314] and 2.6 [rich: 375, poor: 142]; concentration index: 0.123 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.093-0.153] and 0.144 [95% CI: 0.109-0.178] in 2013 and 2018, respectively) has relatively higher inequality compared with the HCC group (rich-poor ratio: 0.9 [rich: 307, poor: 337] and 1.1 [rich: 511, poor: 475]; concentration index: -0.027 [95% CI: -0.053 to -0.000] and -0.014 [95% CI: -0.033 to 0.006] in 2013 and 2018, receptively). Contrasting to the observation with the HCC group, PHI was associated with higher odds for hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.252, p = 0.01, 95% CI: 1.051-1.493) and diabetes (aOR = 1.287, p = 0.02, 95% CI: 1.041-1.590) in 2018.

Conclusion: Over 5 years, the inequality in PHI coverage remained higher compared with HCC, which suggests that the rich enjoyed private healthcare more. Furthermore, those with PHI were more likely to report known hypertension and diabetes in 2018. It is reasonable to assume that those with PHI are more likely to have earlier diagnoses compared to others and are more likely to be aware of their condition. Policymakers need to identify strategies that can narrow the existing gap in quality and type of service between the private and public health sectors.

Keywords: healthcare cost coverage; hypertension and diabetes; inequality; private health insurance.