Role of the new rural cooperative medical system in alleviating catastrophic medical payments for hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease in poor rural areas of China

Table 1 Demographics and social economics of all subjects enrolled in the study

Variables		Hypertension	Stroke	CHD	Total	Statistics
Family member aged 60 years or above	Yes	638	91	117	846	χ2 = 22.97, P < 0.001
Family member aged 60 years or above	No	361	21	33	415	χ2 = 22.97, P < 0.001
Family status	General	924	90	139	1153	χ2 = 18.88, P < 0.001
Family status	Others^†	76	22	11	109	χ2 = 18.88, P < 0.001
Occupation	Farming	562	60	102	724	χ2 = 8.15, P = 0.017
Occupation	Non-farming	438	52	48	538	χ2 = 8.15, P = 0.017
Economic status ^△	Non-poor	591	62	73	726	χ2 = 6.05, P = 0.049
Economic status ^△	Poor	409	50	77	536	χ2 = 6.05, P = 0.049
Nearest medical centre	Village clinic	462	48	97	607	P = 0.001 (Fisher)
	Township health centre	485	60	47	592
	County hospital	5	1	1	7
	Personal clinic	48	3	5	56
Time spent travelling to the nearest medical centre	Less than 30 min.	858	89	122	1069	P = 0.241 (Fisher)
	30 min. to 60 min.	110	18	23	151
	over 60 min.	32	5	5	42
Age	Less than 60 years	485	23	50	558	χ2 = 40.11, P < 0.001
Age	60 years and above	515	89	100	704	χ2 = 40.11, P < 0.001
Gender	Male	368	55	49	472	χ2 = 8.15, P = 0.017
Gender	Female	632	57	101	790	χ2 = 8.15, P = 0.017
Race	Han	909	105	123	1137	χ2 = 13.42, P = 0.001
Race	Others^‖	91	7	27	125	χ2 = 13.42, P = 0.001
Educational background	Illiterate	350	51	64	465	χ2 = 7.28, P = 0.026
Educational background	Others^*	650	61	86	797	χ2 = 7.28, P = 0.026
Marital status	Married	820	85	112	1017	χ2 = 6.21, P = 0.045
	Others^※	180	27	38	245	χ2 = 6.21, P = 0.045
Medical insurance	Yes	990	112	147	1249	P = 0.230 (Fisher)
Medical insurance	No	10	0	3	13	P = 0.230 (Fisher)

^†Households enjoying five guarantees (i.e. childless and infirm; old persons who are guaranteed food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses by communes; low-income families).
^△The economic status of households was evaluated by comparing the annual per capita income with the poverty line of RMB1300/$208.1 per capita set by the Chinese State Council Poverty Alleviation Leading Group Office; a poor economic status indicates an annual per capita income below the threshold, and a non-poor economic status indicates an annual per capita income equal to or above the threshold.
^‖Nationality of Hui, Uygur, Dongxiang, Tujia, or Kazak etc. except Han.
^*Elementary, middle or senior middle school.
^※Divorced, widowed or unmarried.

ISSN: 1471-2458