title: The impact of economic growth on health care utilization: a longitudinal study in rural Vietnam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In many developing countries, including Vietnam, out-of-pocket payment is the principal source of health financing. The economic growth is widening the gap between rich and poor people in many aspects, including health care utilization. While inequities in health between high- and low-income groups have been well investigated, this study aims to investigate how the health care utilization changes when the economic condition is changing at a household level.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed a panel data of 11,260 households in a rural district of Vietnam. Of the sample, 74.4% having an income increase between 2003 and 2007 were defined as households with economic growth. We used a double-differences propensity score matching technique to compare the changes in health care expenditure as percentage of total expenditure and health care utilization from 2003 to 2005, from 2003 to 2007, and from 2005 to 2007, between households with and without economic growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Households with economic growth spent less percentage of their expenditure for health care, but used more provincial/central hospitals (higher quality health care services) than households without economic growth. The differences were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that households with economic growth are better off also in terms of health services utilization. Efforts for reducing inequalities in health should therefore consider the inequality in income growth over time.
authors.affiliation: Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. ntmthoa@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi Minh
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Thoa
authors.forename: Nguyen Xuan
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Thanh
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi Kim
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chuc
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindholm
mesh_terms: D057217:Economic Development; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014744:Vietnam