Assessing and coping with the financial burden of computed tomography utilization in Limbe, Cameroon: a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study.

Background: There has been a significant increase in computed tomography (CT) utilization over the past two decades with the major challenges being a high exposure to ionizing radiation and rising cost. In this study we assess the risk of financial hardship after CT utilization and elaborate on how users adapt and cope in a sub-Saharan context with user fee for services and no national health insurance policy.

Methods: We carried out a sequential explanatory mixed methods study with a quantitative hospital-based survey of CT users followed by in-depth interviews of some purposively selected participants who reported risk of financial hardship after CT utilization.