Do chronic illnesses and poverty go hand in hand?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Chronic diseases negatively impact global health and quality of life.
• Associated chronic pain leads to substantial medical expenses and personal suffering.
• Financial burdens from healthcare can push households into poverty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between chronic illnesses and poverty in Sri Lanka.
• To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with chronic disease prevalence.
• To determine factors contributing to poverty among individuals with chronic conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2016 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) in Sri Lanka.
• Conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).
• Analyzed the correlation between chronic illness indicators and poverty metrics.

Main Results:

• Married females aged 40-65, with lower education, not economically active, and in urban areas show higher chronic disease prevalence.
• Lack of basic education, rural/estate residency, and specific diseases (brain, cancer, heart, kidney) are linked to higher poverty likelihood.
• The study is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka using national survey data.

Conclusions:

• Chronic illnesses are significant drivers of poverty in Sri Lanka.
• Targeted interventions for vulnerable groups and specific diseases are crucial.
• Findings offer insights applicable to other developing countries facing similar challenges.