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

Chile: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 13.8% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
13.8%
Change on year
up 115.6%
World rank
64th
of 134 countries
All-time high
25.3%
in 2003
All-time low
6.4%
in 2017
Years of data
19
2003–2021

Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile, 2003–2021

5101520252003201220212003: 25.3 % of people at risk2004: 24.3 % of people at risk2005: 23.1 % of people at risk2006: 16.8 % of people at risk2007: 13.4 % of people at risk2008: 12.8 % of people at risk2009: 12.8 % of people at risk2010: 9.1 % of people at risk2011: 9.7 % of people at risk2012: 8.8 % of people at risk2013: 8.2 % of people at risk2014: 8.5 % of people at risk2015: 7.1 % of people at risk2016: 8.3 % of people at risk2017: 6.4 % of people at risk2018: 6.6 % of people at risk2019: 8.6 % of people at risk2020: 6.4 % of people at risk2021: 13.8 % 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

The most recent figure for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile is 13.8%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 115.6% on the previous year and up 42.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile peaked at 25.3% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2017.

That places Chile 64th out of 134 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile, 2003 to 2021.
Year % of people at risk Change
2003 25.3%
2004 24.3% -4.0%
2005 23.1% -4.9%
2006 16.8% -27.3%
2007 13.4% -20.2%
2008 12.8% -4.5%
2009 12.8% +0.0%
2010 9.1% -28.9%
2011 9.7% +6.6%
2012 8.8% -9.3%
2013 8.2% -6.8%
2014 8.5% +3.7%
2015 7.1% -16.5%
2016 8.3% +16.9%
2017 6.4% -22.9%
2018 6.6% +3.1%
2019 8.6% +30.3%
2020 6.4% -25.6%
2021 13.8% +115.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 18.4% 12.8% 25.3% 7
2010s 8.1% 6.4% 9.7% 10
2020s 10.1% 6.4% 13.8% 2

Countries ranked near Chile

  1. 61 Gabon 15.8% compare
  2. 62 Colombia 15.1% compare
  3. 63 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 14.3% compare
  4. 65 Tunisia 13.6% compare
  5. 66 El Salvador 13.3% compare
  6. 67 Namibia 11.5% compare
  7. 67 South Africa 11.5% compare

See the full ranking of 134 places →

More population data for Chile

All data for Chile →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile?
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Chile was 13.8% in 2021, 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 Chile?
The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 2003.
What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Chile?
The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2017.
How does Chile rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
Chile ranks 64th out of 134 countries with data for 2021.
Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Chile?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Chile 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 Chile. 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 09 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-the-population-at-risk-of-catastrophic-expenditure-when-surgical-care-is-required/chile/

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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.