Out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados
Barbados: Out-of-pocket expenditure was 49.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Barbados recorded 49.5% for out-of-pocket expenditure in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.9% on the previous year and up 22.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados peaked at 49.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 33.6%, in 2004.
Barbados ranks 33rd of 193 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 39.4% | — |
| 2001 | 38.1% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 35.9% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 33.6% | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 35.0% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 35.4% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 36.8% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 35.5% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 36.3% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 38.1% | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 42.2% | +10.8% |
| 2012 | 38.6% | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 40.4% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 43.6% | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 44.4% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 45.1% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 45.6% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 45.9% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 46.7% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 38.8% | -9.7% |
| 2022 | 46.7% | +20.6% |
| 2023 | 49.5% | +5.9% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 49.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.8%, 2.9× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 49.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 29.3%, 1.7× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.2% | 33.6% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.1% | 38.1% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.5% | 38.8% | 49.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More health data for Barbados
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2208 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,453 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5046 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0272 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5262 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados?
- Out-of-pocket expenditure in Barbados was 49.5% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 2023.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.6% in 2004.
- How does Barbados rank for out-of-pocket expenditure?
- Barbados ranks 33rd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket expenditure rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of out-of-pocket payments of total current health expenditures. Out-of-pocket payments are spending on health directly out-of-pocket by households.