Inequality Status of Household Medical Expenditure Distribution by Household Income Quartile and Associated Factors with Household Catastrophic Medical Expenditure in Korea

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the inequality tendency of household medical expenditure distribution and associated factors with household catastrophic medical expenditure. Methods: The current study analyzed the raw data of the Korean Health Panel over the years 2009 to 2014. Results: The proportion of household medical expenditure to household income in 2014 was 16.9% in 1st income quartile, 9.7% in 2nd income quartile, 5.7% in 3rd income quartile, 4.1% in 4th income quartile, and 2.5% in 5th income quartile. The Gini coefficient for distribution of household medical expenditure was 0.548, 0.536, 0.533, 0.527, 0.523, 0.528 respectively between 2009 and 2014. The Gini coefficient for distribution of household medical expenditure according to income quartile was higher in lower income household than that of higher income household. The incidence rate of household catastrophic medical expenditure was higher when the total annual household income was lower, the age of the householder was older, the number of household members was smaller, the education level of the householder was lower, the healthcare coverage type was National Health Insurance, the householder had disability, and the prevalence rate of the chronic disease of the household was higher (p< 0.05). Conclusions: In consideration of above findings, there was inequality of household medical expenditure distribution and the household medical expenditure was higher when the total household income was lower. Therefore, a policy for vulnerable households should be established.