Knowledge and Utilization of Health Insurance following the Rollout of the State Contributory Health and Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in Kaduna State, Nigeria
Abstract:
The availability of information to the public plays a fundamental role
in creating awareness, building trust and improving utilization of health
insurance schemes. Knowledge of health insurance is often limited, and results in
low utilization rates of services among vulnerable groups or those in informal
sectors. This study examines the knowledge and utilization of health insurance
schemes in Kaduna State, using z-test of difference of two proportions at 5%
level of significance for 1944 respondents. Statistical analysis (chi-square
tests and Z-test of proportions) using Stata 16.0 revealed that 86.1% of
respondents have heard of the general term ‘Health Insurance”. Knowledge declined
significantly for specific schemes (KADCHMA: 67.0% and BHCPF: 59.2%). The State
Contributory Health Scheme (KADCHMA) shows the highest mean utilization of
services at 1,167.08 enrollees, National Health Insurance at 458.23 enrollees, private
health insurance at 219.90 enrollees, BHCPF 179.61 at enrollees and Tertiary
institutions Social Insurance scheme at 0.33. Despite the successes recorded,
less than half of the population (49.6%) understands the operationality of the
schemes, 29.3% only heard of the schemes with no understanding of their
functionality, and 9.8% only heard of the schemes indicating low knowledge. The
average percentage of the catchment population covered under all the schemes is
extremely low, averaging 15.97% per facility. Addressing these issues requires
multi-stakeholders’ engagement to create awareness and mobilize citizens to understand
and enrolled into the health insurance schemes.
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