GENDER INEQUALITY IN HOUSEHOLD HEALTH EXPENDITURE: THE CASE OF URBAN ORISSA

Biologically determined sex and socially constructed gender have strong bearing on the household out-of-pocket health expenditure. In this connection, the present makes an modest attempt to study the gender inequalities in household health expenditure in urban Orissa. The study shows that there is a significant difference between male and female out-of-pocket health expenditure in urban area. But the female out-of-pocket health expenditure in urban area is more than that of rural and tribal areas. The regression model indicates that the male out-of-pocket health expenditure influences per head out-of-pocket health expenditure by fifty-nine per cent where as female influence is fifty-four per cent. It means male influences out-of-pocket health expenditure more than the female in urban area. In this connection, to reduce this gender inequality, men, first, recognize the roles and contributions of female in family as well as in the society. Secondly, women actively participate in all household decision making process and have the power to speak out their problems. Thirdly, cooperation, coordination, sharing and understanding between men and women is essential. Fourthly, male and female educational level has a positive role to bring equality between men and women in household and societal decision making process.