Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure and its Associated Factors among Antenatal and Postnatal Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chhattisgarh, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
- 1Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Medical College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
- 2Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College, Madagadipet, Puducherry, India
- 3Late Shri Lakhiram Agrawal Memorial Government Medical College, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, India
Abstract
Introduction: Out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) imposes substantial financial burden on households, and despite various maternal and child health (MCH) schemes, OOPE for maternal care remains high in Chhattisgarh. This study aimed to determine the extent of OOPE during the antenatal and postnatal periods among women attending a tertiary care hospital and to identify the socio-demographic and economic factors associated with OOPE. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 women (110 antenatal and 110 postnatal) attending a tertiary care hospital between May and October 2025, using convenience sampling. OOPE over the preceding 30 days, and its source of financing was recorded and analysed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Almost all participants (217 of 220) incurred some OOPE, irrespective of MCH scheme utilization. Savings were the predominant source of financing among utilizers, while borrowing was more common among non-utilizers. Direct costs, particularly transportation and food, formed a major share of postnatal expenditure. Catastrophic OOPE was significantly higher among non-utilizers (OR= 12.67, 95%CI: 5.08, 31.58) and was significantly associated with maternal age above 30 years, nuclear family type and unskilled occupation. Conclusions: Socio-demographic factors are associated with OOPE during maternal care. MCH scheme utilization was associated with lower catastrophic expenditure, but financial protection remains incomplete, particularly during Postnatal period, and gaps in awareness and access persist. Strengthening entitlement-based schemes may help progress towards universal health coverage.
Related
- Satisfaction levels with antenatal care services among postnatal women attending public hospitals in Sana`a City Yemen
- Factors associated with actual mode of delivery among women attending antenatal education at a university hospital in Türkiye: a retrospective observational study
- Prevalence, severity, and associated factors of thrombocytopenia among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic in North West Ethiopia,2024: cross-sectional study
- Hepatitis E Virus Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Consultations Niger Republic, 2025
- Prevalence of anaemia and Associated Factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in a rural district of Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study
BibTeX
@article{virapouttirane2026outofpocket,
title = {{Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure and its Associated Factors among Antenatal and Postnatal Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chhattisgarh, India: A Cross-Sectional Study}},
author = {Preethi Virapouttirane and Yogachithan Vijayakumar and Paul Vinoth},
journal = {Journal of Public and Clinical Health Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.63486/jpchr.26103101},
url = {https://doi.org/10.63486/jpchr.26103101},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure and its Associated Factors among Antenatal and Postnatal Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chhattisgarh, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
AU - Preethi Virapouttirane
AU - Yogachithan Vijayakumar
AU - Paul Vinoth
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Journal of Public and Clinical Health Research
DO - 10.63486/jpchr.26103101
UR - https://doi.org/10.63486/jpchr.26103101
AB - Introduction: Out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) imposes substantial financial burden on households, and despite various maternal and child health (MCH) schemes, OOPE for maternal care remains high in Chhattisgarh. This study aimed to determine the extent of OOPE during the antenatal and postnatal periods among women attending a tertiary care hospital and to identify the socio-demographic and economic factors associated with OOPE. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 women (110 antenatal and 110 postnatal) attending a tertiary care hospital between May and October 2025, using convenience sampling. OOPE over the preceding 30 days, and its source of financing was recorded and analysed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Almost all participants (217 of 220) incurred some OOPE, irrespective of MCH scheme utilization. Savings were the predominant source of financing among utilizers, while borrowing was more common among non-utilizers. Direct costs, particularly transportation and food, formed a major share of postnatal expenditure. Catastrophic OOPE was significantly higher among non-utilizers (OR= 12.67, 95%CI: 5.08, 31.58) and was significantly associated with maternal age above 30 years, nuclear family type and unskilled occupation. Conclusions: Socio-demographic factors are associated with OOPE during maternal care. MCH scheme utilization was associated with lower catastrophic expenditure, but financial protection remains incomplete, particularly during Postnatal period, and gaps in awareness and access persist. Strengthening entitlement-based schemes may help progress towards universal health coverage.
SN - 3139-1885
ER -