Sebastián León-Giraldo

The paper «Inequalities in Catastrophic Health Expenditures in Conflict-Affected Areas and the Colombian Peace Agreement: An Oaxaca-Blinder Change Decomposition Analysis» investigates the disparities in catastrophic health expenditures before and after the implementation of the Colombian Peace Agreement, particularly in areas affected by long-term conflict. Employing the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis, the study quantifies the changes in financial burdens related to health care spending and identifies the contributing factors to these shifts. The analysis reveals significant disparities in healthcare spending, with conflict-affected regions experiencing higher rates of catastrophic expenditures due to ongoing instability and insufficient healthcare infrastructure.

The findings underscore the need for targeted healthcare policies that specifically address the financial barriers to healthcare access in post-conflict settings. The paper argues that while the Peace Agreement has initiated positive changes, substantial inequalities remain due to entrenched economic and social disparities that the agreement has not fully addressed. It calls for integrated approaches that combine health financing reforms with broader socio-economic development strategies to reduce the financial burden on vulnerable populations. By providing a detailed analysis of health expenditure trends and their underlying causes, the study contributes valuable insights into the effectiveness of policy measures in reducing health-related financial hardships in post-conflict Colombia.