O'Hara Nathan N, Odull Edmond, Potter Jeffrey, Kajja Isaac
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Department of Orthopaedics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
OTA Int. 2019 Apr 9;2(4):e028. doi: 10.1097/OI9.0000000000000028. eCollection 2019 Dec.
Early access to a monetary loan may mitigate some of the socioeconomic burden associated with surgical treatment and lost wages following injury. The primary objective of this study was to determine the willingness of orthopaedic trauma patients in Uganda to accept a formal financial loan shortly after their time of injury.
A consecutive sample of adult orthopaedic trauma patients admitted to Uganda's national referral hospital was included in the survey. The primary outcome was the self-reported willingness to accept a financial loan. Secondary outcomes included the preferred loan terms, fracture treatment costs, and the factors associated with loan willingness.
Of the 40 respondents (mean age, 40 years; 58% male), the median annual income was $582 United States dollars (USD) (range: $0-$6720). Around 50% reported a willingness to accept a loan with any terms. Patients requested loans with a median principal of $500 USD and a median interest rate of 5% with 12 months to pay back. Patients had received loans with a median principal of $142 USD, an interest rate of 10%, and payback of 6 months. These received loans covered a mean of 63% of the treatment costs. Patients with higher median incomes ($857 USD vs $342 USD) were more willing to accept a loan.
This study demonstrated a limited interest of orthopaedic trauma patients in Uganda to procure loans through formalized lending. This observed resistance must be overcome in future programs that rely on mechanisms such as conditional cash transfers or microfinancing to improve clinical and socioeconomic outcomes after injury.
尽早获得货币贷款可能会减轻与手术治疗及受伤后工资损失相关的一些社会经济负担。本研究的主要目的是确定乌干达骨科创伤患者在受伤后不久接受正规金融贷款的意愿。
纳入乌干达国家转诊医院收治的成年骨科创伤患者连续样本进行调查。主要结果是自我报告的接受金融贷款的意愿。次要结果包括首选贷款条款、骨折治疗费用以及与贷款意愿相关的因素。
40名受访者（平均年龄40岁；58%为男性）的年收入中位数为582美元（范围：0至6720美元）。约50%的受访者表示愿意接受任何条款的贷款。患者申请的贷款本金中位数为500美元，利率中位数为5%，还款期限为12个月。患者获得的贷款本金中位数为142美元，利率为10%，还款期限为6个月。这些获得的贷款平均覆盖了63%的治疗费用。年收入中位数较高（857美元对342美元）的患者更愿意接受贷款。
本研究表明，乌干达骨科创伤患者通过正规借贷获取贷款的意愿有限。在未来依赖有条件现金转移或小额融资等机制来改善受伤后临床和社会经济结果的项目中，必须克服这种观察到的阻力。
