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Cited by 149Healthcare Systems and ReformsPublic Health and Social InequalitiesHealthcare Policy and Management

Seasonal variations of household costs of illness in Burkina Faso

Sauerborn, R., Nougtara, A., Hien, M., Diesfeld, H.J.·1996·Social Science & Medicine
DOI 10.1016/0277-9536(95)00374-6
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Abstract

This paper assesses the seasonal variations of the time and financial costs of illness for rural households in Burkina Faso. It is based on a multiple round survey of 566 households, which included a time allocation study. The economic parameters of households which influence health seeking behavior changed substantially between the dry and rainy seasons: revenues fell in the rainy season and were exceeded by expenditures. Household production was at its peak in the rainy season resulting in significantly higher opportunity costs of time. At the same time illness perception changed: in the rainy season, significantly fewer illness episodes were perceived, and of those, the proportion perceived as severe decreased over-proportionally. Households shifted their healer choice in the rainy season away from high cost treatment, such as the hospital and dispensary, to low cost home treatment. For all these reasons, households incurred significantly fewer costs of illness in the rainy season (27% of dry season costs). Household health care expenditures were reduced to 1/6 of dry season levels, the time costs incurred by healthy household members to tend to the sick was reduced to 1/5 and the time costs of work incapacity due to sickness fell to about 1/2 of dry season levels. The authors stress the need to carry out research in all relevant seasons when studying health seeking behavior and the household costs of illness in order to avoid serious seasonal bias. They suggest policy options to increase health care utilization in the rainy season by reducing the financial and time costs of access to health care. Finally, the authors put forward a hypothesis to be tested by future research: They argue that the cognitive (changes in illness perception) and behavioral changes (different health care seeking) reflect the high opportunity costs of time and the low availability of cash households face during the rainy season. The paper discusses the negative implication that untreated illness has on the health status of household members.

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Authors
Sauerborn, R., Nougtara, A., Hien, M., & Diesfeld, H. J.
Affiliations
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • Ministère De La Santé (BF)
Corresponding author
Sauerborn, R.
ORCID
Sauerborn, R.
Venue
Social Science & Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1996-08
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
281-290
ISSN
0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0277-9536(95)00374-6
OpenAlex
W2062749423
Cited by
149
References
32
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 12
FWCI
4.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Science & Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Finance › Healthcare Systems and Reforms
  • Social Sciences › Health › Public Health and Social Inequalities
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Healthcare Policy and Management
Keywords
seasonal variation, health-seeking behavior, rural households, illness perception, home treatment, health care utilization, time allocation, work disability, rainy season, dry season, Burkina Faso
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Agriculture, Burkina Faso, Child, Developing Countries, Health Expenditures, Female, Financing, Personal, Health Status Indicators, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Rural Health, Seasons, Cost of Illness

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