Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Out-of-pocket expenditure and catastrophic health expenditure in patients of leprosy at a tertiary care center in India
Abstract Objectives Leprosy continues to impose a significant clinical and socioeconomic burden. Despite free multidrug therapy, patients incur substantial out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), leading to catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). Evidence on the economic burden of leprosy in India remains limited. Methods A pilot prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center in North India, enrolling 56 patients with leprosy. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, direct and indirect healthcar …