title: Out-of-pocket nonmedical expenses associated with out-patient treatment of common childhood illnesses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Out-of-pocket expenses, medical and non-medical, have an impoverishing effect on the family.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine non-medical out-of-pocket expenses incurred during out-patient attendance for primary care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive survey was undertaken at a rural medical college using interviewer-administered questionnaire to parents of children <6 years over a period of 6 weeks. Seventy-six participants were interviewed for collecting demographic data and actual cost on travel and meals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median expenditure for travel was Indian rupees (INR) 20 with inter-quartile range (IQR) 14-48 and on food it was INR 110 with IQR 40-155. Median total expenditure on the visit was INR 122 with IQR 61-220. Among those who travelled >5 km, 36% attendance was for respiratory complaints, 27% with fever and as many as 86% for vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Families in rural India have substantial costs incurred in OPD attendance, most of which is for preventive health care such as immunization.
authors.affiliation: MIMER Medical College, Talegaon, Dabhade 410507, India subhashdaga@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Subhashchandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daga
authors.affiliation: MIMER Medical College, Talegaon, Dabhade 410507, India.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mhatre
authors.affiliation: MIMER Medical College, Talegaon, Dabhade 410507, India.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dsouza
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: low-cost care of childhood illnesses; non-medical expenses; out-of-pocket expenses; treatment cost of childhood illnesses