OBJECTIVE: Determine the impact, characteristics, and changes in out-of-pocket health spending of households in Chile in 1997 and 2007. METHODS: A descriptive econometric study was conducted based on household surveys with cross-sectional information on spending in two years 1997 and 2007 for Greater Santiago. The evolution of indicators of per capita household spending by quintile was reviewed. The method proposed by the World Health Organization was used for econometric analysis of the determinants of out-of-pocket spending and catastrophic spending. The Gini indices were also calculated to analyze equity. RESULTS: Out-of-pocket health spending in the households of Greater Santiago increased significantly (39.5% per capita). The ratio of health spending in quintile 5 compared to quintile 1 decreased, but the increase in spending was less in quintile 5. In 2007, out-of-pocket spending w...