Chinese Parents’ Perceptions, Attitudes, and Treatment-Seeking Intentions Toward Congenital Heart Disease with Charitable Assistance: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Congenital Heart Center in Southern China

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Participants

Characteristics	N = 201 (n%)
Age Range (years)
20–25	65(32.3%)
26–30	80(39.8%)
31–35	39(19.4%)
>35	17(8.5%)
Education
Junior High School or below	57(28.3%)
High school	97(48.3%)
Bachelor Degree or above	47(23.4%)
Residential
City	118(58.7%)
Rural	83(41.3%)
Monthly income (CNY)
< 5000	44(21.9%)
5001–10,000	102(50.7%)
10,001–20,000	39(19.4%)
>20,000	16(8.0%)
CHD
ASD	77(38.3%)
VSD	66(32.8%)
PDA	38(18.9%)
Others	20(10.0%)

Note: Others, tetralogy of Fallot, stenosis of pulmonary artery, double chamber of right ventricle, and so on.

Abbreviations: CNY, China Yuan, Chinese currency; CHD, congenital heart disease; ASD, atrial septal defect; VSD, ventricular septal defect; PDA, patent ductus arteriosus.

Table 2 Participants’ Perception of the Charity Assistance for CHD

Item	N=201 (n%)
Q1: Do you know the charity assistance of CHD?
Yes	90(44.8%)
No	101(50.2%)
Unclear	10(5.0%)
Q2: Do you know the evaluation criteria of the charity assistance of CHD?
Yes	68(33.8%)
No	106(52.7%)
Unclear	27(13.5%)
Q3: Do you know the amount or proportion of the assistance?
Yes	24(11.9%)
No	117(88.1%)
Q4: How did you learn about the charity assistance of CHD mainly
Hospital bulletin board?	51(25.4%)
Know from doctor	88(43.8%)
Know from relatives or friends	32(15.9%)
Others	30(14.9%)
Q5: Do you think your child is eligible for the charity assistance of CHD (after verbal notification of funding conditions)?
Conformance	119(59.2%)
Non-conformance	82(40.8%)

Table 3 Attitudes to Charity Assistance for CHD and Affordable Medical Costs

Item	N=201 (n%)
Q1: What do you think is the significance of the charity assistance (all options except option 4 are multiple choices)?
Reduce medical expenses	197(98.0%)
Increased willingness to treat	138(68.7%)
Improve treatment compliance	99(49.2%)
Unclear/Insignificance	4(2.0%)
Q2: Do you think your financial situation needs charity assistance?
Require	113(56.2%)
Not required	88(43.8%)
Q3: Do you think the evaluation criteria are reasonable?
Reasonable	186(92.5%)
Unreasonable	15(7.5%)
Q4: If you meet the conditions for assistance, will it increase your willingness to receive treatment?
Will improve	159(79.1%)
Not improve	42(20.9%)
Q5: If you meet the conditions for assistance, will it affect your choice of the hospital?
Will	126(62.7%)
Not	75(37.3%)
Q6: Accepted costs (CNY)?
<20,000	58(28.9%)
20,000–50,000	110(54.7%)
>50,000	33(16.4%)

Abbreviation: CNY, China Yuan, Chinese currency.

Figure 1 Factors affecting parents’ willingness to pay and treatment in our hospital for children with congenital heart disease. ((A) Willingness to pay in patients according to education level. (B) Willingness to pay in patients according to income. (C) Willingness to pay in patients according to charity assistance. (D) Factors of parents’ choice of treatment in our hospital).

Abbreviation: CNY, China Yuan, Chinese currency.

Table 4 Correlation Analysis of Influencing Willingness to Pay

Factors	b value	OR	P value
Education level*	0.29	-	P=0.089
Monthly income (RMB)*	1.87	-	P<0.05
Charity assistance^#	4.43	4.43	P<0.01

Notes: *Multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the relationship between income, education and willingness to pay; ^#Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between Charity assistance and willingness to pay.