Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil

Brazil: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 23.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
23.1%
Change on year
up 76.3%
World rank
45th
of 134 countries
All-time high
25.9%
in 2003
All-time low
8.3%
in 2020
Years of data
20
2003–2022

Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil, 2003–2022

101520252003201220222003: 25.9 % of people at risk2004: 25.6 % of people at risk2005: 25.4 % of people at risk2006: 23.6 % of people at risk2007: 21 % of people at risk2008: 18.1 % of people at risk2009: 17.4 % of people at risk2010: 18.7 % of people at risk2011: 14.9 % of people at risk2012: 14.9 % of people at risk2013: 13.3 % of people at risk2014: 13.1 % of people at risk2015: 11.8 % of people at risk2016: 13.4 % of people at risk2017: 13.3 % of people at risk2018: 13.7 % of people at risk2019: 13.2 % of people at risk2020: 8.3 % of people at risk2021: 13.1 % of people at risk2022: 23.1 % of people at risk

Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.

Analysis

In 2022, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil stood at 23.1%.

That represents a change of up 76.3% on the previous year and up 55.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil peaked at 25.9% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2020.

That places Brazil 45th out of 134 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.

Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil, year by year

Annual values for Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil, 2003 to 2022.
Year % of people at risk Change
2003 25.9%
2004 25.6% -1.2%
2005 25.4% -0.8%
2006 23.6% -7.1%
2007 21.0% -11.0%
2008 18.1% -13.8%
2009 17.4% -3.9%
2010 18.7% +7.5%
2011 14.9% -20.3%
2012 14.9% +0.0%
2013 13.3% -10.7%
2014 13.1% -1.5%
2015 11.8% -9.9%
2016 13.4% +13.6%
2017 13.3% -0.7%
2018 13.7% +3.0%
2019 13.2% -3.6%
2020 8.3% -37.1%
2021 13.1% +57.8%
2022 23.1% +76.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.4% 17.4% 25.9% 7
2010s 14.0% 11.8% 18.7% 10
2020s 14.8% 8.3% 23.1% 3

Countries ranked near Brazil

  1. 42 Egypt 26.6% compare
  2. 43 Iraq 26.4% compare
  3. 44 Paraguay 25.2% compare
  4. 45 Azerbaijan 23.1% compare
  5. 47 Iceland 22.6% compare
  6. 48 Cape Verde 21.6% compare

See the full ranking of 134 places →

More population data for Brazil

All data for Brazil →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil?
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil was 23.1% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Brazil?
The highest recorded value was 25.9% in 2003.
What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Brazil?
The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2020.
How does Brazil rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
Brazil ranks 45th out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Brazil?
Over the last ten years it is up 55.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Brazil data come from?
The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Brazil. Statizoid, drawing on Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-the-population-at-risk-of-catastrophic-expenditure-when-surgical-care-is-required/brazil/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required
Unit
% of people at risk
Source
Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
134 places, 2,380 data points, 2003–2022
Last refreshed

Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.