Financial Burden, Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, and Household Economic Well-Being in Heart Failure Patients in India: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical condition requiring resource-intensive management and substantial health expenditure. The adverse economic impact of medical care on patients or financial burden is increasingly recognised as a significant non-clinical entity affecting HF management in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We explored the factors associated with Financial Burden (FB) in HF patients in India.

Methods: We recruited HF patients from 21 hospitals across India, selected to reflect regional diversity and varying stages of epidemiological transition. Trained personnel collected clinical and economic data using a validated and structured questionnaire. Expenditures were recorded in Indian rupees (INR) and converted to international dollars (INT$).

Results: We recruited 1,859 participants. Nearly one-third of participants (30.2%) were women. The mean age was 55.9 (11.3) years, and the mean duration of formal education was 11.3 (3.8) years. Health insurance coverage was reported in one-third (32.2%) of the study population. The average annual out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure was INR 1,06,566 (INT$ 4,709.10), constituting 92.6% (95% CI: 92.5–92.7) of the total health expenditure. Compared to the previous year, a decline in monthly income was reported by 32.3% of individuals and 36.2% of households. Catastrophic health spending (CHS) and distress financing (DF) were observed in 37.7% (35.5–39.9) and 17.7% (15.9–19.4) of the households, respectively. However, CHS and DF were lower [30.8% (26.2–35.4) and 13.6% (10.2–17.0), respectively] among those with health insurance compared to the uninsured [40.3% (37.6–43.0) and 18.9% (16.7–21.1), respectively].

Conclusion: Seven out of 10 HF patients in India lack financial health protection. OOP expenditures, accounting for over 90% of total health spending, contribute significantly to economic distress in HF patients. Financial burden, affecting more than one-third of HF patients, carries profound implications for individual well-being. Addressing this financial burden, including CHS and DF, is essential for improving clinical outcomes and ensuring health equity.