ốm đau bệnh tật, sử dụng dịch vụ và chi phí cho y tế ở một số nhóm lao động phi chính thức tại Hà Nội

The study was carried out to describe health status of selected informal workers in Hanoi, in 2011 and describe the pattern of health service utilization and health care payment among the study subject. The results indicated that there were 31.3 percent of interviewees reported having chronic diseases during the last 12 months, 61.2 percent of them had acute disease/symptoms in the last 3 months. People from 50-60 years old had the highest prevalence of chronic disease, the most common chronic diseases are spinal pain/osteoarthritis (34.4 percent), stomach/digestive (29.8 percent). The most common acute conditions the study respondents had were headaches and respiratory diseases. Number of inpatient, outpatient health services and self-treatment were 1.0 + or - 0 times, 1.8 + or - 3.7 and 2.2 + or - 1.4 times, respectively. The average treatment costs were 3,624.8 + or - 2,656.6 thousands VND, 767.5 + or - 977.1 6 thousands VND and 238.5 + or - 461 thousands VND, respectively. In conclusion, the prevalence of chronic diseases and acute condition were high among the informal workers in Hanoi. The women and the poor had higher prevalence of illness. Chronic diseases were more prevalent among older people. The poor incurred high level of health care expenditure.