Predictors of Enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme Among Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Community Health & Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

2 Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Background
Despite the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) since 2005 in Nigeria, the level of health insurance coverage remains low. The study aims to examine the predictors of enrolment in the NHIS among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.
 
Methods
Secondary data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were utilized to examine factors influencing enrolment in the NHIS among women of reproductive age (n = 38 948) in Nigeria. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of women were determined using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 12 software.
 
Results
We found that 97.9% of women were not covered by health insurance. Multivariate analysis indicated that factors such as age, education, geo-political zone, socio-economic status (SES), and employment status were significant predictors of enrolment in the NHIS among women of reproductive age.
 
Conclusion
This study concludes that health insurance coverage among women of reproductive age in Nigeria is very low. Additionally, demographic and socio-economic factors were associated with enrolment in the NHIS among women. Therefore, policy-makers need to establish a tax-based health financing mechanism targeted at women who are young, uneducated, from poorest households, unemployed and working in the informal sector of the economy. Extending health insurance coverage to women from poor households and those who work in the informal sector through a tax-financed non-contributory health insurance scheme would accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC).

Keywords

Main Subjects

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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 7, Issue 11
November 2018
Pages 1015-1023

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 March 2018
  • Revise Date: 20 July 2018
  • Accept Date: 21 July 2018
  • First Publish Date: 01 November 2018

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