THE SOCIOECONOMIC BURDEN OF HEPATITIS B AND C IN PAKISTAN: A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Health is a fundamental asset that enables individuals to realize their full potential. When compromised, it leads to emotional, physical, and economic challenges that hinder human development. This study examines the socioeconomic impact of viral Hepatitis B and C in Pakistan, focusing on labor productivity, household income, morbidity, mortality, and the associated direct and indirect costs borne by patients and their families.

Primary data collected from 8,388 patients across 70 districts of Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, through a structured questionnaire encompassing 36 demographic and economic indicators. Descriptive statistics, probit, logit, and OLS models were used to analyze the data.

Results indicate that Hepatitis B and C significantly reduce labor productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism, averaging 1.89 lost workdays per month per patient and attendant, with a total estimated annual loss of 32.43 million workdays nationwide. The diseases also affect labor mobility, with 2.07% visa rejections, 6.2% job rejections, 1.2% job terminations, and 5.2% mortality attributed to hepatitis. Additionally, income loss due to reduced work capacity and forced asset sales was observed.

The regression analysis provides compelling evidence that Hepatitis B and C have statistically significant and negative effects on key labor market outcomes in Pakistan. The models consistently indicate that individuals suffering from hepatitis experience reduced labor mobility, higher absenteeism rates, and an increased likelihood of job rejection. These findings persist even after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and regional factors, underscoring the direct burden of viral hepatitis on workforce participation and productivity.

Marginal effects further demonstrate the intensity of this impact, with hepatitis patients being significantly more prone to economic vulnerability, including the selling of assets to fund medical treatment. These dynamics highlight not only a health crisis but also a labor market distortion that can exacerbate poverty and inequality, particularly in already marginalized communities.

These findings underscore the need for policy reforms that protect infected individuals from discrimination and improve access to medical care, insurance, and job retention support