The Impact of Inflation on the Healthcare of the Middle-Class in Pakistan
Abstract
The expense of healthcare has increased over the past few decades all over the world, especially in Pakistan. This trend is mostly rising due to a lack of health-related awareness, changing lifestyles, and the high cost of health technology. To investigate the effects of inflation on the healthcare of the middle class & to understand the particular difficulties they encounter as a result of increasing costs. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, among middle-class people visiting for their medical care from August 2024 to February 2025. Statistical analysis was done by IBM SPSS Statistics v27. The demographic profile reveals that among 386 participants, a significant portion of the participants were male (56.7%), primarily over the age of 40 (48.4%), and most had monthly incomes ranging from 20,000 to 69,000 PKR (77.2%). The study identified that inflation has significantly affected healthcare access: 48.4% of participants minimized doctor visits, 40.9% shortened their prescriptions, and 57.8% delayed hospitalizations due to high medical costs. The financial load on healthcare utilization is evident, due to the cost-related concerns; 81.1% of participants postponed medical treatment. These findings highlighted the significant impact of inflation on healthcare access and the financial stability of Pakistan’s middle-class families. The minimization of healthcare services utilization is determined by affordability challenges and highlights the urgent need for structured reforms.
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