Disability-Related Costs of Children with Disabilities in the Philippines

Ludovico Carraro (), Alex Robinson (), Bilal Hakeem, Abner Manlapaz and Rosela Agcaoili
Additional contact information
Ludovico Carraro: Independent Consultant, Oxford OX3 0JE, UK
Alex Robinson: Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Bilal Hakeem: Oxford Policy Management, Oxford OX1 3HJ, UK
Abner Manlapaz: Life Haven Center for Independent Living, Valenzuela City 1442, Philippines
Rosela Agcaoili: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mandaluyong City 1550, Philippines

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: The assessment of disability-related costs among children remains a largely under-researched subject with related questions rarely included in surveys. This paper addresses this issue through a unique mixed methods study conducted in the Philippines combining a nationally representative survey and in-depth interviews with families and health professionals. To quantify the extra costs associated with disabilities, the research used the standard of living approach, whereby expenditure levels of families with children with and without disabilities were compared in relation to different measures of living standards. The results find consistent evidence of high extra costs among households that have children with disabilities and point to health expenses as the leading source. Using an asset index as the indicator of living standards, a child with a disability is estimated to require between 40% and 80% extra expenditure to reach the same living standard of other children. However, the size of extra costs is substantially higher when the measure of the standard of living relies on a broader set of deprivations. In such cases, higher estimates of extra costs are likely to be the result of the lack of an inclusive environment. Critically, this points to the need to provide not only financial support but also inclusive services, especially in health and education.

Keywords: disability; children; extra costs; standard of living; Philippines (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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