Data from: Catastrophic health expenditure according to employment status in South Korea: A population-based panel study

Objectives: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) means that medical
spending of a household exceeds a certain level of capacity to pay.
Previous studies of CHE have focused on benefits supported by the public
sector or high medical cost incurred by treating diseases in South Korea.
This study examines variance of CHE in these households according to
changes in employment status. We also determine whether a relationship
exists according to income level. Design: A longitudinal study. Setting:
We used the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) conducted by the Korea
Institute. Participants: These data consisted of 5,335 households during
2009-2012. Outcome measure: CHE defined as health expenditures that were
40% greater than the ability of the household to pay. Results: Households
with people who experienced changes in job status from employed to
unemployed (OR 2.79, 95% CI 2.06-3.78) or were unemployed with no status
change (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.28-1.92) were more likely to incur CHE compared
to those who were consistently employed. In addition, low-income families
that either lost a job (OR 3.52, 95% CI 2.44-5.10) or were already
unemployed (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.29-2.16) were more likely to incur CHE
compared to those with a consistent job. Conclusions: Given the insecure
employment status of people with low-income, they are more likely to face
barriers in obtaining needed health services. Meeting their needs for
health care is an important consideration.