FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND NEEDS FOR SUPPORT RESOURCE CONNECTION AMONG PATIENTS AT THAI NGUYEN NATIONAL HOSPITAL IN 2026
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objectives: To describe the level of financial difficulty in paying for healthcare using a screening index developed by the research team; to describe the need for connection to support resources; and to analyze factors associated with these outcomes among inpatients at Thai Nguyen National Hospital in 2026.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study included 315 inpatients aged ≥18 years hospitalized for at least two days, recruited consecutively by ward until the allocated sample was reached. A four-item financial difficulty screening index developed by the research team (not a validated instrument) covered out-of-pocket payment ≥30% of total costs, high-risk financial coping, treatment affected by costs, and insufficient essential spending; scores 0-1, 2, and 3-4 were conventionally labeled mild, moderate, and severe. The need for support connection was assessed by direct yes/no question. Chi-square/Fisher tests and multivariable logistic regression were used.
Results: Mean age was 55.4±17.2 years and 95.2% used health insurance. According to the screening index, 75.9% had mild, 13.7% moderate, and 10.5% severe difficulty; 27.0% reported out-of-pocket payments ≥30% of total costs. Major pressure items were hospital fees/copayments (47.0%), food/accommodation (46.0%), non-covered medicines (43.8%), travel (37.1%), and income loss (36.8%). Support connection was needed by 48.6%; 43.1% of these needed it within one week. Only 47.0% knew about hospital social work and 20.6% had received support. Severe difficulty on the screening index was associated with hospital stay ≥8 days (aOR=2.47), chronic/severe high-cost disease (aOR=2.99), self-rated economic hardship (aOR=4.89), and poor/near-poor status (aOR=2.70); this model included only 33 events for 6 variables and should be interpreted cautiously given the risk of sparse-data bias.
Conclusion: The screening index identified a substantial subgroup of inpatients with financial difficulty and support connection needs, but this is a preliminary screening tool, not a validated measure of financial burden, and requires further validation before routine use.
Keywords
Financial difficulty, screening index, out-of-pocket payment, inpatients, support resource connection
Article Details
References
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