Who is bearing the financial burden of non-communicable diseases in Mongolia?

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a formidable health and development challenge for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, translating this challenge into resource allocation is seriously constrained by a lack of country specific evidence on NCD financing and its distributional implications. This study estimated expenditures associated with NCDs in Mongolia and their distributions across socioeconomic groups, focusing especially on private out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on the major NCDs. Methods: Secondary data analysis of multiple data sources on NCD related health service use and expenditures including detailed administrative data, World Health Organization STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPs) survey for Mongolia, and household surveys. Sample-weighted estimates of OOP expenditures for NCDs were constructed using STEPs data. OOP payments per discharge and per outpatient visit were estimated by condition and type of service provider, and survey data on utilization, after adjusting for utilization in administrative records. Results: NCDs in Mongolia accounted for more than one-third of total health expenditures in 2013. A significant fraction of this expenditure was borne by households in the form of OOP spending. CVD-related health spending is the major driver of NCD-spending in Mongolia, accounting for about 24.2% of total health expenditure. OOP health payments, largely driven by outpatient diagnostics and drugs, were incurred disproportionately by the better-off, seeking more specialist services and better quality private care. Conclusion: A high share of OOP spending for NCDs in Mongolia, which ostensibly enjoys universal health coverage, provides a cautionary tale for LMICs in a similar situation. Improvement in the quality of services at the primary care level and rural health care facilities, where the poor mainly attend, is desirable together with an effective exemption policy for user fees at higher level hospitals

Protocol for a national, mixed-methods knowledge, attitudes and practices survey on non-communicable diseases

Abstract Background Mongolia is undergoing rapid epidemiological transition with increasing urbanisation and economic development. The lifestyle and health of Mongolians are changing as a result, shown by the 2005 and 2009 STEPS surveys (World Health Organization's STEPwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance) that described a growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases and injuries (NCDs). This study aimed to assess, describe and explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Mongolian adult population around NCDs in order to better understand the drivers and therefore develop more appropriate solutions to this growing disease burden. In addition, it aimed to provide data for the evaluation of current public health programs and to assist in building effective, evidence-based health policy. Methods/design This national survey consisted of both quantitative and qualitative methods. A quantitative household-based questionnaire was conducted using a nationally representative sample of 3854 rural and urban households. Participants were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique in 42 regions across Mongolia, including rural and urban sites. Permanent residents of sampled households were eligible for recruitment, if aged between 15-64 years. This quantitative arm was then complemented and triangulated with a qualitative component: twelve focus group discussions focusing on diet, exercise and alcohol consumption. Discussions took place in six sites across the country, facilitated by local, trained health workers. These six sites were chosen to reflect major Mongolian cultural and social groups. Discussion KAP surveys are well represented in the literature, but studies that aim to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of a population around NCDs remain scarce. This is despite the growing number of national epidemiological surveys, such as STEPS, which aim to quantify the burden of these diseases but do not explore the level of population-based awareness, understanding, risk-perception and possible motivation for change. Therefore this paper will contribute to building a knowledge base of NCD KAP survey methodology for future use in epidemiology and research worldwide.</p