Comparative Analysis of Health Care Expenditures and Presence of Mental Health Conditions of HIV-Affected Versus Non-HIV-Affected Children
Ganguli, A.; Gourley, D.; White-Means, S.
Journal of HIV/AIDS and Social Services 11(3): 271-290
2012
DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2012.703554Document Number: 561537
As HIV/AIDS mortality rates improve, more and more HIV-infected parent(s) are bearing HIV-negative children. Using a comprehensive national medical cost data, this study compared the health care expenditures (prescription and nonprescription) of HIV-affected and non-HIV-affected children, with a special focus on the impact of mental health conditions on expenditures. Post matching, multivariate analysis showed the HIV-affected children's prescription expenditures are significantly less compared to non-HIV-affected children. However, HIV-affected children with mental health conditions incurred greater: total health care expenditures (4.0 times), nonprescription health care expenditures (3.1 times), and prescription expenditures (8.7 times) compared to the respective expenditures of other children in the study.