National Council of Applied Economic Research
This study aims to provide an understanding of health seeking behaviour in two States with low levels of health system development: Odisha and Uttar Pradesh; and two with higher levels of health system development: Maharashtra and Punjab’.
The study sheds light on the questions of out-of-pocket spending, catastrophic health expenditure and distress financing, and treatment pathways in four states of India – Odisha, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Maharashtra and Punjab. The rationale for this is to better understand the differences between health seeking behaviour in more and less developed health systems at the State level in India, and to sharpen hypotheses about the evolution of health seeking behaviour as health systems develop effectively. The study provides valuable insights for health system interventions yet to be introduced, that seek to strengthen elements such as public primary care.
Using multiple methods the study delves into the following questions,
What factors are associated with (a) the decision to use medical care and (b) the choice among available medical providers?
What are the health expenditure consequences of both decisions, and with respect to Catastrophic and Impoverishing Health Expenditures?
What are the earnings (wages and other sources of income of households) consequences of both decisions?
What are the patterns of resort (what are the common pathways between providers and provider type including primary and higher levels; public and private; qualified and unqualified) in relation to a chronic condition common among adults, an acute condition common among children, and gynaecological problems among women?
Collaborators
Nossal Institute For Global Health, The University of Melbourne (Lead)
The Population Council, India
Funding
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and University of Melbourne organised an in-person event to launch their report, Health Seeking Pathways in Four Indian States (4IS) Study, at NCAER, on 27 September 2023. At this event, the team members shared findings from their recently concluded study that help shed light on the questions... Read More
This is the Executive Summary of the report based on a study undertaken jointly by NCAER and the Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia, on healthcare seeking pathways to improve healthcare and reduce the overall disease burden in India. This report presents new... Read More
This report is the outcome of a study undertaken jointly by NCAER and the Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia, on healthcare seeking pathways to improve healthcare and reduce the overall disease burden in India. The report covers various parameters of these health... Read More
This Policy Brief is based on a joint study conducted by NCAER and the Nossal Institute of Global Health, University of Melbourne, on health seeking pathways in four Indian States. The authors observe that the public expenditure incurred on health in India, at just 0.9 per cent of the GDP, is low, and that the... Read More
This Policy Brief is based on a joint study conducted by NCAER and the Nossal Institute of Global Health, Melbourne University, on health seeking pathways in four Indian States. It is found that the health system in India is largely unregulated, and devoid of quality assurance mechanisms, leaving healthcare seekers susceptible to exploitation by unscrupulous... Read More
This report is from a study conducted by the NCAER and the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia. It seeks to explore the treatment seeking pathways and associated cost of the people living in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh in relation to a chronic respiratory condition among adults, an acute respiratory... Read More
Barbara McPake is Professor, Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne and Professor at NCAER. Prior to this, she was Director of the Nossal Institute (2014-23) and the Institute for International Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (2005-2014); Programme Director, Health Systems Development Knowledge Programme (2001-6) and Head of Health Policy Unit (2001-4)... Read More
Sumit Kane is a Professor at the Nossal Institute of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and Professor at NCAER. His research focus is on low and middle-income country societies and health systems transitioning to a post-service availability phase. His research examines the questions these transitions raise for health systems. Prof Kane has... Read More
Ajay Mahal is a Professor of Health Economics and Global Health Systems Research at the Nossal Institute for Global Health in the University of Melbourne and Professor at NCAER. From 2010 until 2015, he was the Alan and Elizabeth Finkel Chair of Global Health and Professor at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine... Read More
Prabir Kumar Ghosh is a Senior Fellow at NCAER. Currently, he is involved in coordinating all-India level survey work and analysis of large scale primary data. His research interests include development economics, human development, income, expenditure, poverty & nutrition, demography, and budgetary analysis on social sector & poverty alleviation programs.
