Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: July | Volume: 9 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 19-23
Out of Pocket Expenditure for Yellow Fever Vaccination - An Experience from a New Established Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu
Achhelal Pasi1, Amitabha Dan2, Pragati Gaikwad3, Poornima P 4, Sujeet Kumar Singh5
1Public Health Specialist, Airport Health Organisation, Mumbai
2Field Epidemiologist, All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Kolkata
3Medical Officer, Airport Health Organisation, Mumbai
4Port Health Officer, Port Health Organisation – Tuticorin
5Director, National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi
Corresponding Author: Amitabha Dan
ABSTRACT
Background: Present study was conducted to study the out of pocket expenditure incurred by the passengers to take yellow fever vaccine in the newly established Yellow fever vaccination centre at Thoothukodi Port Health Organisation.
Objectives: To study the (i) average expenditure incurred by persons to take the Yellow Fever Vaccine and (ii) association between out of pocket expenditure and the geographic distance from the vaccination centre.
Material and Methods: It was a cross sectional exploratory study conducted in PHO Tuticorin involving 144 study participants selected by using universal sampling technique. Data was collected by using pretested structured self administered questionnaire over a period of 1 month. Data analysis was done in line with study objectives and variables were presented in percentage, mean and standard deviation Students ‘t’ test was used as test of significance and ‘p’ value <0.05 was considered as significant. Data was collected after taking permission from the appropriate authorities and willingness of the study participants.
Results: Out of 144 persons, 84 (58.3%) came from Thoothukodi district 137 (95.14%) were male and average age of the study participants was 31.15 years. Average expenditure incurred for taking vaccination for persons coming from Toothukodi was Rs 489.2/- with standard deviation of Rs 408/- only. Average expenditure incurred for taking vaccination for persons coming from out of Toothukodi district was Rs 820.9/- with standard deviation of Rs 406/- only. The difference in expenditure incurred was statistically significant (p=0.001).
Conclusion and Recommendations: The new vaccination centre was successful in reducing the out of pocket expenditure and time of the intending travelers from this part of the state. More Yellow Fever vaccination centers need to be established at strategic locations.
Key words: Out of Pocket Expenditure, Port Health Organisation, Tuticorin, Yellow Fever Vaccine, Tamilnadu, Toothukodi