ArticleHealth economics review2025
Determinants of medical borrowing and associated inequalities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: evidence from the Global Findex survey.
Article in Health economics review, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundWhile out-of-pocket health expenses continue to rise, households' coping strategies remain largely unexplored. When individuals and families rely on unsustainable mechanisms such as borrowing, they may face heightened financial vulnerability, which can be particularly severe among certain socio-economic groups. This study examined the determinants of medical borrowing and the associated inequalities in Saudi Arabia.
methodsNationally representative data from the 2021 World Bank Global Financial Inclusion (Global Findex) database were analysed. Descriptive statistics summarized respondents' characteristics, and Chi-squared tests assessed bivariate associations between socio-economic factors and medical borrowing. Multivariate logistic regression models were then estimated to identify independent determinants of medical borrowing. Socioeconomic inequalities were further evaluated using concentration curves and concentration indices.
resultsApproximately 16.3% of the 1019 respondents from the KSA reported borrowing money for medical purposes within the preceding 12 months. Medical borrowing was less common among higher-income and more educated individuals [Model 3 odds ratio = 0.561; 95% confidence interval: 0.391-0.807; p < 0.01). Borrowing incidence was slightly lower for males than for females. Across all models, government employees showed consistently higher odds of borrowing for medical expenses. Inequality analysis showed a negative education-based concentration index (-0.117, p ˂ 0.01), indicating that medical borrowing was disproportionately concentrated among individuals with lower educational attainment.
conclusionSocio-economic inequalities in borrowing for medical purposes exist in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the need to curb distress financing, particularly among lower-income groups, less-educated individuals, and public sector employees. These findings underscore the importance of expanding equitable insurance coverage and reducing reliance on out-of-pocket spending. Strengthening public healthcare quality and aligning reforms with Vision 2030 goals will be critical to curbing medical indebtedness and enhancing financial protection for all in Saudi Arabia.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.