Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa

South Africa: Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to was 21.1% in 2014. ▼ Falling

Latest (2014)
21.1%
World rank
32nd
of 80 countries
All-time high
32.1%
in 2005
All-time low
18.3%
in 2008
Years of data
5
1990–2014

Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa, 1990–2014

01020301990200220141990: 24.7 %2000: 25.5 %2005: 32.1 %2008: 18.3 %2014: 21.1 %

Source: Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 21.1% for proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in 2014.

The figure is down 34.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa peaked at 32.1% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 18.3%, in 2008.

South Africa ranks 32nd of 80 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenditure (%) in South Africa, 1990 to 2014.
Year % Change
1990 24.7%
2000 25.5% +3.6%
2005 32.1% +25.7%
2008 18.3% -43.0%
2014 21.1% +15.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 24.7% 24.7% 24.7% 1
2000s 25.3% 18.3% 32.1% 3
2010s 21.1% 21.1% 21.1% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 29 Palestine, State of 22.3% compare
  2. 30 Cambodia 22.1% compare
  3. 31 Jamaica 21.5% compare
  4. 32 Ghana 21.1% compare
  5. 34 Paraguay 21.1% compare
  6. 35 Greece 18.9% compare

See the full ranking of 92 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa?
Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa was 21.1% in 2014, according to Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest proportion of population facing financial hardship due to recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 32.1% in 2005.
What is the lowest proportion of population facing financial hardship due to recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 18.3% in 2008.
How does South Africa rank for proportion of population facing financial hardship due to?
South Africa ranks 32nd out of 80 countries with data for 2014.
Is proportion of population facing financial hardship due to rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 34.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenditure (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-facing-financial-hardship-due-to-out-of-pocket-health/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-facing-financial-hardship-due-to-out-of-pocket-health/south-africa/">Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population facing financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenditure (%)
Unit
%
Source
Universal Health Coverage Dataset, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
92 places, 1,175 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

Proportion of population spending more than 40% of household discretionary budget on out-of-pocket health expenditure (%) The discretionary budget is defined as the total household budget, measured by consumption expenditure or income, minus the societal poverty line (SPL ). Using 2017 purchasing power parities (PPPs), the SPL corresponds to whichever is greater: $2.15 (the international poverty line) or $1.15 + 50% of median household consumption expenditure or income, excluding out-of-pocket household expenditure on health. Out-of-pocket health expenditure is defined as any spending incurred by a household when any member uses a health good or service to receive any type of care (preventive, curative, rehabilitative, long-term or palliative care); provided by any type of provider; for any type of disease, illness or health condition; in any type of setting (outpatient, inpatient, at home).