The Socioeconomic Impacts of Catastrophic Health Expenditures in Türkiye: Cross-Sectional Analysis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: ABS TRACT Objective: This study aims to examine the financial burden, catastrophic impact, and impoverishing consequences of OOP health expenditures in Türkiye, with a focus on identifying at-risk groups and informing policy strategies.Material and Methods: This research is a cross-sectional, quantitative study based on the 2023 Household Budget Survey (HBS) microdata provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT).The 2023 HBS was conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2023.Catastrophic health expenditure was defined according to standard thresholds of OOP spending relative to household consumption.Poverty impact was assessed by recalculating poverty rates before and after health expenditures.Descriptive statistics and subgroup analyses were applied to explore socioeconomic and demographic disparities.Results: Findings reveal that 5.3% of households incur catastrophic health expenditures at the 10% threshold.More than one million individuals are pushed below national poverty thresholds once OOP health spending is accounted for.The risk is disproportionately concentrated among households with elderly members, children, and those in the lowest income quintiles.Conclusion: The results underscore the urgent need for strengthening financial protection mechanisms to mitigate the economic burden of health spending.Policies aimed at enhancing equity in healthcare financing, expanding risk pooling, and safeguarding vulnerable households are essential to reduce the catastrophic and impoverishing effects of OOP payments in Türkiye.
Institution: Başkent University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204264543