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The impact of COVID-19 on health care accessibility and financial risk protection in Sri Lanka

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dc.contributor.author Nandasena, S.
dc.contributor.author Gamage, A.U.
dc.contributor.author Periyasamy, N.
dc.contributor.author Rismy, M.
dc.contributor.author Balachandran, K.
dc.contributor.author Kasturiratne, A.
dc.date.accessioned 2023-08-24T05:04:35Z
dc.date.available 2023-08-24T05:04:35Z
dc.date.issued 2023
dc.identifier.citation The Ceylon Medical Journal.2023;68(S1):27-33 en_US
dc.identifier.issn 0009-0875 (Print)
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/26513
dc.description Indexed in MEDLINE. en_US
dc.description.abstract INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the global economy, disrupted essential health services, and distorted social determinants of health, reducing healthcare accessibility and increasing financial risk. AIM: we aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare accessibility and financial risk protection in Sri Lanka. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a representative sample (multi-stage sampling process) of 3151 households in 105 clusters representing all the districts of Sri Lanka. The data collection was conducted using an interviewer-administered questionnaire in early November 2021. This was important to classify three periods of interest, namely: (1) the pre-lockdown period (2) the nationwide lockdown period, and (3) the new normal period. (After Oct 1 to early November 2021). RESULTS: Among 11,463 household occupants, 12.6% reported having chronic diseases, with 76.5% diagnosed prior to six months. The majority had heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Of them, 53.7% have been followed up during the lockdown, increasing to 80.8% in the new normal period. Provincial variations in expenses were observed, with the highest food expenses in the Western Province. Catastrophic health expenditures affected 9.5% and 3.4% of households at 10% and 25%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable proportion of those having heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood sugar or diabetes mellitus were not followed up in the lockdown period and the first month of the new normal period. Antenatal care and family planning were the least affected. Participants had incurred high out-of-pocket expenditures for healthcare during the entire period. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Sri Lanka Medical Association en_US
dc.subject COVID -19 en_US
dc.subject Universal Health Coverage en_US
dc.subject health care accessibility en_US
dc.subject Financial Risk Protection. en_US
dc.title The impact of COVID-19 on health care accessibility and financial risk protection in Sri Lanka en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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