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Time and money: the true costs of health care utilization for patients receiving 'free' HIV/TB care and treatment in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

BACKGROUND
HIV and TB services are provided free-of-charge in many sub-Saharan African countries, but patients still incur costs.


METHODS
Patient-exit interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 200 HIV-infected patients not yet on ART (pre-ART), 300 ART patients, and 300 TB patients receiving public sector care in rural South Africa. For each group, we calculated health expenditures across different spending categories, time spent traveling to and utilizing services, and how patients financed their spending. Associations between patient group and costs were assessed in multivariate regression models.


RESULTS
Total monthly health expenditures (7.3 South African Rand: 1 USD) were: 171 (95%CI 134-207) for pre-ART, 164 (95%CI 141-187) for ART, and 122 (95%CI 105-140) for TB patients. Total monthly time costs (in hours) were: 3.4 (95%CI 3.3-3.5) for pre-ART, 5.0 (95%CI 4.7-5.3) for ART and 3.2 (95%CI 2.9-3.4) for TB patients. Though costs were similar across groups, pre-ART patients spent significantly more on traditional healers, chemists, and private doctors, while ART and TB patients spent more on transport to clinic visits. 31% of pre-ART, 39% of ART and 41% of TB patients borrowed money or sold assets to finance health costs.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients receiving nominally free care for HIV/TB face large private costs. Subsidized transport, fewer clinic visits, and drug pick-up points closer to home could reduce costs for ART patients, potentially improving adherence and retention. Large expenditure on alternative care among pre-ART patients suggests that transitioning patients to ART earlier, as under TASP, may not impose substantial costs on patients.