Freedom to Heal: Financial Well-Being and the Capabilities of Health Tourism

This study explores the relationship between financial well-being and health tourism spending in the United States, emphasizing the financial dynamics of healthcare access through Sen’s Capability Approach. Analyzing gender- and age-segmented data, it examines how financial constraints shape health tourism decisions, explicitly focusing on process freedom and conversion factors. Regression results show that, while general effects were often non-significant, detailed segment-specific analyses reveal significant variations by gender, age, and service type. Worsening financial conditions led to increased spending on prolonged and incidental health tourism for specific demographics, indicating adaptive economic behaviors. The findings highlight the bi-directional influences between financial well-being and health tourism, emphasizing the importance of targeted financial policies and support systems to improve healthcare access for vulnerable groups. This study underscores the nuanced role of financial well-being in health tourism decisions, providing insights for tailored interventions to meet diverse healthcare needs.