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Assessing the financial health of banks is crucial to ensure the stability of the financial system. This is not only a way to safeguard the interests of customers and shareholders but also to prevent inherent risks and ensure reliability in banking operations. Thus, evaluating financial health plays a crucial role in maintaining stability and sustainable development in the banking sector. This study employed three methods: RAM (Root Assessment Method), PSI (Preference Selection Index), and SRP (Simple Ranking Process), to assess the financial health of twenty-eight banks in Vietnam. Capital adequacy rating, asset quality rating, management rating, earnings rating, liquidity rating, and sensitivity to market risk rating are the six criteria used to characterize each bank. The evaluation results using these three methods were compared with each other and with the evaluation using the CAMELS rating system. The study identified banks with good financial health and those with weak financial health. The notable point is that the results of ranking financial health of banks using three methods: RAM, PSI, and SRP, and according to the CAMELS system are quite similar. These findings are vital in providing valuable information for managers and investors, aiding them in making informed decisions regarding investment, risk management, and development strategies based on empirical data.

This book introduces students to the growing research field of health economics. Rather than offer details about health systems without providing a theoretical context, Health Economics combines economic concepts with empirical evidence to enhance readers' economic understanding of how health care institutions and markets function. The theoretical and empirical approaches draw heavily on the general field of applied microeconomics, but the text moves from the individual and firm level to the market level to a macroeconomic view of the role of health and health care within the economy as a whole. The book takes a global perspective, with description and analysis of institutional features of health sectors in countries around the world. This second edition has been updated to include material on the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, material on the expansion of health insurance in Massachusetts, and an evaluation of Oregon's Medicaid expansion via lottery. The discussion of health care and health insurance in China has been substantially revised to reflect widespread changes there. Tables and figures have been updated with newly available data. Also new to this edition is a discussion of the health economics literature published between 2010 and 2015. The text includes readings, extensive references, review and discussion questions, and exercises. A student solutions manual offers solutions to selected exercises. Downloadable supplementary material is available for instructors. -- Provided by publisher.

Background Both financial literacy (managing personal finances) and health literacy (managing personal health) become increasingly important for older adults, potentially impacting their quality of life. Resources in these constructs of literacy tend to be distinct, although the skills and decision-making involved overlap as financial issues impact healthcare choices. Thus the primary purpose of this commentary is to propose a new area of research focus that defines the intersection of financial and health literacy (i.e., financial health literacy). Methods We conducted a limited literature review related to financial, health, and health insurance literacy to demonstrate gaps in the literature and support our position. Online search engines were utilized to identify research in our primary areas of interest. Results We define the intersection of financial and health literacy as an area of need labeled financial health literacy, with a focus on four domains. These include: 1) the ability to manage healthcare expenses; 2) pay medical bills; 3) determine health needs and understand treatment options; and 4) make sound healthcare decisions with financial resources available. Despite some overlap with health insurance literacy, financial health literacy would define an area of need encompassing health management choices and health plan selections integrated with other financial management issues including living arrangements, financial planning, and retirement planning. Conclusions Potential initiatives should be considered to help at-risk older adults find resources to improve their financial health literacy, which in turn will enhance their abilities to manage medical choices in the environment of an increasingly complex healthcare system.

Leaders of government agencies are responsible for stewardship over taxpayer investments. Stewardship strengthens agency performance that is critical to improving population health. Most industries, including health care, and public enterprises, such as education, have policies for uniform data reporting and financial systems for the application of theoretical analytical techniques to organizations and entire systems. However, this is not a mainstreamed practice in local and state government public health. The Public Health Uniform National Data System (PHUND$) is a financial information system for local health departments that advances the application of uniform practices to close financial analytical gaps. A 10-year retrospective overview on the development, implementation, and utility of PHUND$ is provided and supported by documented program and agency improvements to validate the analytical features and demonstrate a best practice. Benefits found from utilizing PHUND$ included reducing financial risks, supporting requests for increased revenues, providing comparative analysis, isolating drivers of costs and deficits, increasing workforce financial management skills, enhancing decision-making processes, and fostering agency sustainability to support continuous improvements in quality and population health. The PHUND$ financial data definitions in the data dictionary provided the structure needed for standardized data collection and confirmed the feasibility of a standardized public health chart of accounts. PHUND$ analysis provided evidence on the relationship between financial and operational performance, as well as informing strategies for managing risks and improving quality. Such analysis is critical to identifying financial and operational problems and essential to mitigating financial crisis, avoiding disruption of services, and fostering agency sustainability. PHUND$ additionally serves as an instrument that can guide development of standards that measure for agency sound financial management systems.

Background Financial resilience, the ability to withstand and recover from financial shocks, has become increasingly critical amid economic volatility, rising healthcare costs, and global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. While prior research has explored broad determinants of financial resilience. Methods Following the Arksey and O’Malley framework, this review systematically mapped literature from multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EconLit) and Google Scholar search engine from 1990 to 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on studies discussing financial, resilience components, strategies and outcomes in individuals or households. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically. Results A comprehensive search strategy was developed to identify relevant studies across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EconLit.The review included 30 studies from 15 countries, highlighting four key components of financial resilience: economic resources, financial knowledge and behavior, social capital, and access to financial services. Common strategies to enhance resilience included income diversification, savings, borrowing, reducing expenditures, and leveraging social networks. Outcomes of financial resilience included reduced financial fragility, improved life satisfaction, and enhanced financial stability. High-income countries emphasized financial literacy and planning, while low- and middle-income countries relied more on informal coping mechanisms like borrowing and asset sales. Some coping strategies have been used in times of illness. Conclusion Financial resilience is a multidimensional construct influenced by economic resources, financial knowledge, social capital, and access to financial services. Policymakers should prioritize financial literacy, expand access to financial services, and strengthen social safety nets to promote financial resilience, particularly among vulnerable populations, such as low-income individuals and the sick. Future research should explore the intersectionality of financial resilience and the role of digital financial services in enhancing resilience. Policymakers and financial institutions should focus on promoting financial literacy, expanding access to financial services, and strengthening social safety nets to support individuals and households in building financial resilience.

Background Many countries have introduced health insurance schemes to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improve access to healthcare. However, limited awareness of catastrophic health expenditures and the risk of impoverishment from healthcare costs may hinder enrollment. In Tanzania, these gaps underscore the importance of financial health risk protection education as a strategy to enhance insurance knowledge and enrollment willingness, especially among rural households. Objective To measure the effect of financial health risk protection education on knowledge and willingness to enroll in health insurance among rural households in Tanzania. Methods The study was a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Total of 560 household heads were assigned randomly to a control or intervention group (280 in each group). A questionnaire was used to collect data. Intervention group received education for 1 month then was followed for 2 months. Outcomes measured were change in knowledge on financial health risk protection, health insurance for all and willingness to enroll. Logistic regression was conducted to establish a relationship between knowledge and willingness to enroll. Results The odds of knowledge about financial health risk protection and health insurance for all increased substantially in the intervention households at endline compared to baseline. Participants in the intervention group were two times more likely to have adequate knowledge about financial health risk protection at the endline compared to the baseline study [(OR = 0.478, p  = 0.005) baseline to (OR = 2.3, p  < 0.0001) endline]. Similarly, participants in the intervention group were more likely to have adequate knowledge about health insurance at the endline compared to the baseline study [(OR = 0.20, p  = 0.29) baseline to (OR = 1.4, p  < 0.0001) endline]. The odds of willingness to enroll in health insurance increased two times more in the intervention households at the endline compared to the baseline study [(OR=-0.28, p  = 0.18) baseline to (AOR = 2.2, p  < 0.0001) endline]. Conclusion Financial health risk protection education significantly improved knowledge and willingness to enroll in health insurance among rural households, demonstrating its potential to promote insurance uptake. Scaling up such educational interventions in rural Tanzania is recommended to address knowledge gaps, enhance enrollment, and advance progress toward Universal Health Coverage. Trial registration The trial was registered on 11th April 2023, with registry number PACTR202304503715724, Clinical trial number not applicable.

Background Out of pocket (OOP) payments for health are significant health financing challenges in Afghanistan as it is a source of incurrence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment. Measuring and understanding the drivers and impacts of this financial health hardship is an economic and public health priority, particularly in the time of COVID-19. This is the first study that measures the financial hardship and determines associated factors in Afghanistan. Methods Afghanistan Living Conditions Survey data for 2016–2017 was used for this study. We calculated incidence and intensity of catastrophic health expenditure by using different thresholds ranging from 5 to 40% of total and nonfood consumption and subsequent impoverishment due to OOPs. Logistic regression was used to assess the degree to which Afghan households are protected from the catastrophic household expenditure. Results Results revealed that 32% of the population in Afghanistan incurred catastrophic health expenditure (as 10% of total consumption) and when healthcare payments are netted out of household consumption, the Afghan population live in extreme poverty ($1.9 in 2011 PPP), increased from 29 to 36%. Based on our findings from logistic regression in Afghanistan, having an educated head or being employed are protective factors from financial hardship while having a female head, an elderly member, a disabled, or a sick member are the risk factors of facing catastrophic health expenditure. Moreover, the people living in rural/nomadic areas or facing an economic shock are more likely to face catastrophic health expenditure and hence to be impoverished due to direct OOPs on health. Conclusions The high rate of poverty and catastrophic health expenditure in Afghanistan emphasizes the need to strengthen the health financing system. Although Afghanistan has made great efforts to support households against health expenditure burden during the pandemic, households are at higher risk of poverty and financial hardship due to OOPs. Therefore, there is need for more financial and supportive response policies by providing a better and easier access to primary health services, extending to all entitlement to health services particularly in the public sector, eliminating user fees for COVID-19 health services and suspending fees for other essential health services, expanding coverage of income support, and strengthening the overall health financing system.

PurposeFinancial well-being has gained increased attention in research, policy and the financial sector. The authors contribute to this emerging field by drawing attention to the bottlenecks in financial well-being research and proposing ways for transforming and advancing it.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a semi-systematic review of the latest 120 financial well-being studies from both academic and grey literature and analyse the current issues in defining, conceptualising and measuring it.FindingsThe authors identify the need for a more human-centred approach across content and methodology, conceptualisation and operationalisation, research and practice, that focusses on how individuals experience, interpret and assess financial well-being. The authors highlight the lack of evidence-based interventions for improving financial well-being.Practical implicationsThe authors propose applying design science approach for redefining the problems that individuals need help in solving and for developing and testing interventions that improve financial well-being and are in line with individuals’ needs and aspirations. The authors also call for international qualitative research into the human perspective of financial well-being.Social implicationsFinancial well-being has a significant role in mental health and well-being; therefore, it affects the lives of individuals and societies far beyond financial affairs. Change of perspective can lead to evidence-based interventions that better the lives of many, reduce inequality and develop more balanced communities.Originality/valueThe authors argue that the human dimension has been assumed in financial well-being research, practice and police, rather than confirmed, based on flawed assumptions that what people experience is already known.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2022-0741

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the influence of digital transformation on the overall financial performance of firms, with a specific focus on Chinese-listed companies from 2010 to 2021. It seeks to understand the impacts on various accounting and financial indicators in emerging economies such as China.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a text-mining approach to construct a digital transformation index based on the data sample of 11,814 firm-year observations from China’s A-share listed companies. This index serves as a proxy to measure the extent of digital transformation and its impact on financial performance and health.FindingsThe findings indicate that digital transformation significantly enhances overall financial performance and health, as evidenced by increased profitability, reduced operational costs, and lowered financial risks. The study reveals a time-lagged effect, where the benefits of digital transformation become more apparent after about one year. Further analysis shows that the value of digital transformation is more evident in a firm’s asset items. This raises the possibility of recognising the by-product, such as data resources, in the digital transformation process.Originality/valueThis research offers a unique contribution by linking digital transformation to financial performance using a large dataset from China's A-share listed firms. Doing so enhances our understanding of the tangible effects of digital transformation on corporate performance. Furthermore, this research provides valuable insights for the advancement of future accounting practices and the development of standards.