[Catastrophic health expenditures in Mexico: magnitude, distribution and determinants].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the magnitude, distribution, and determinants of catastrophic health expenditures in Mexico.


METHODS
The information source was the National Performance Assessment Survey and the methodology, the one developed by the World Health Organization for assessing fair financing. Households with catastrophic expenditures were defined as those with health expenditures over 30% of their ability to pay. Multivariate analysis by logistic and linear regression were used to identify the determinants of catastrophic expenditures.


RESULTS
A total of 3.8% of the households incurred in catastrophic health expenditures. There were huge differences by state. The uninsured, poor, and rural households showed a higher impoverishment risk. Sixty percent of the catastrophic expenditures were attributable to outpatient care and medication. A 10% increase of insured households could result in a 9.6% decrease in catastrophic expenditures. Disability, adults 60 years of age and older, and pregnancy increased the probability of catastrophic expenditures.


CONCLUSIONS
The insurance of older adults, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities could reduce catastrophic health expenditures in Mexico.
Sesma-Vázquez
Sergio
S
Dirección General de Evaluación del Desempeño, Secretaría de Salud, México, DF, Mexico. ssesma@salud.gob.mx
Pérez-Rico
Raymundo
R
Sosa-Manzano
Carlos Lino
CL
Gómez-Dantés
Octavio
O
D000328:Adult; D002388:Catastrophic Illness / Q000191:economics*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population; D014944:World Health Organization