Is convenience really king? Comparative evaluation of catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in the public and private healthcare sectors of Viet Nam: a longitudinal patient cost study.

Background: In Viet Nam, tuberculosis (TB) represents a devastating life-event with an exorbitant price tag, partly due to lost income from daily directly observed therapy in public sector care. Thus, persons with TB may seek care in the private sector for its flexibility, convenience, and privacy. Our study aimed to measure income changes, costs and catastrophic cost incurrence among TB-affected households in the public and private sector.

Comparing Catastrophic Costs: Active vs. Passive Tuberculosis Case Finding in Urban Vietnam.

Active case finding (ACF) is a strategy that aims to identify people with tuberculosis (TB) earlier in their disease. This outreach approach may lead to a reduction in catastrophic cost incurrence (costs exceeding 20% of annual household income), a main target of WHO's End TB Strategy. Our study assessed the socio-economic impact of ACF by comparing patient costs in actively and passively detected people with TB.