Analysis on subsidy policy of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis among patients in Lishui City

Objective To analyze on subsidy policy of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis(MDR-TB) among patients in Lishui City. Methods A total of 71 MDR-TB patients diagnosed from 2011 to 2017 were enrolled and interviewed with a structured questionnaire covering personal information, diagnosis and treatment procedure and relevant cost. And the effect of relief policy on the outcome of treatment was also analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results All 71 MDR-TB patients diagnosed during 2011 and 2017 received actual subsidy, and total subsidy amount was 2.192 million RMB. Subsidy per capita was 29 650 RMB and the subsidy proportion median was 73.7%. Subsidy per capita and proportion of MDR-TB patients with age less than 53 years old (30 650 RMB)was higher than patients with age more than 53 years old (25 813 RMB, Z=-2.654, P=0.008). Subsidy per capita of MDR-TB patients with monthly income more than 2 000 RMB (30 650 RMB)was higher than patients with monthly income less than 2 000 RMB(22 887.5RMB, Z=-2.479, P=0.013).Subsidy per capita of MDR-TB patients who had been hospitalized(31 650 RMB)was higher than patients in no hospitalized group RMB (29 694.5 RMB, Z=-3.403, P=0.001).In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, subsidy per capita which was less than 29 650 RMB (OR=11.056, 95% CI: 2.793-43.769, P=0.001) and subsidy proportion less than 73.7% (OR=4.881, 95% CI: 1.156-20.606, P=0.031) were factors negatively affecting success of MDR-TB treatment. Conclusion In Lishui City, the current subsidy policy for MDR-TB patients had fundamentally relieved patients' economic burden. It is recommended that the implementation be sustained.