Unaffordability of COVID-19 tests: assessing age-related inequalities in 83 countries.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 is critical to manage the pandemic and its different waves. The requirement to pay out-of-pocket (OOP) for testing potentially represents both a financial barrier to access and, for those who manage to make the payment, a source of financial hardship, as they may be forced to reduce spending on other necessities. This study aims to assess age-related inequality in affordability of COVID-19 tests.

Methods

Daily data from the Global COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey among adult respondents across 83 countries from July 2020 to April 2021 was used to monitor age-related inequalities across three indicators: the experiences of, first, reducing spending on necessities because of paying OOP for testing, second, facing financial barriers

SUBMITTER: Flores G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9753882 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature