This paper, published in PLOS One authored by Julia Hatamyar, Sally Shayeb, Akseer Hussain, Weeam Hammoudeh, Sumit Mazumdar, and Rodrigo Moreno-Serra, explores the relationship between multidimensional vulnerability and financial risk protection (FRP) in health within the context of protracted conflict. The authors introduce a multidimensional vulnerability index to study the financial risks associated with catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) in 2018. They demonstrate that their proposed index offers a more comprehensive understanding of vulnerability compared to conventional income-based measures, highlighting the complex socio-political and economic factors in the OPT that exacerbate financial risk for vulnerable households.
The study identifies that certain groups in the OPT, particularly in the West Bank, face a higher likelihood of incurring CHE. Furthermore, the research reveals the inadequacies of existing health insurance systems in protecting against such risks. By applying the multidimensional index, the authors offer valuable insights into health financing and policy gaps, which are crucial for rebuilding the Palestinian health system amid ongoing conflict.