Healthcare Choices in Assam: Exploring Household Behaviour between Private and Public Hospitals

Abstract

Assam is in a critical state of affairs as per the public health. The infant mortality rate stands at 31.9 against the national average of 35.2. Assam records the highest infant mortality rate among eight states in the Northeast. The situation is even worse in the Under-Five mortality rate. As per the National Sample Survey in 2014, it has been noted that the total average household out-of-pocket health expenditure is found to be Rs. 14810 in Assam, which is higher than the NER average of Rs. 8770, as a large number of households chooses private hospitals for general treatment. With the rapid expansion of the population and shortages of healthcare facilities in government hospitals, private hospitals in society have been playing an important role. The National Family Health Survey report reveals that 18.4 households choose private hospitals for general treatment in Assam. In this context, this study uses binary logistic regression to explore the factors associated with household choices of private hospitals for general treatment. The study carried out on the basis of National Family Health Survey unit-level data, which was published in 2015-16. The investigation found the factors like type of place of residence, age of household head, wealth index, household’s religion, social category of household, household head’s education and also member of household whether covered by a health scheme or not are found statistically significant to choose private hospital for treatment in the state Assam.