Beyond co-pays and out-of-pocket costs: perceptions of health-related financial burden in managing asthma among African American women. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Patel, Minal R.; Nelson, Belinda W.; Id-Deen, Effat; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of asthma. Volume 51:Number 10(2014)
• Page Start: 1083
• Page End: 1088
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Asthma -- Periodicals; 616.238005
• DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2014.936453
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-0903

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: The purpose of this study was to define perceptions of health-related financial burden based on the views of individuals who report these perceptions through qualitative approaches. <italic>Methods</italic>: Four focus groups were conducted in Southeast Michigan with 26 African American women with asthma, recruited based on maximum variation sampling procedures. A semi-structured interview was employed by facilitators. Coded transcripts were analyzed for themes regarding dimensions of the meaning of financial burden. <italic>Results</italic>: Major domains of financial burden identified included (1) high out-of-pocket expenses; (2) lost wages from exacerbations, inability to maintain a stable job and stress from making decisions about taking a sick day or coming to work; (3) transport costs; (4) both costs and stress of managing insurance eligibility and correcting erroneous bills. <italic>Conclusion</italic>: Greater awareness of factors that add to perceptions of financial burden might better equip researchers to develop interventions to help care teams manage such concerns with their patients.</p> </abstract>