Experience of Health Shocks and Uptake Of Health Insurance in Rural and Urban Communities, North Central Nigeria: A Qualitative Study
Oluwayemisi Deborah Adegboye, Mojirola Martina Fasiku, Demilade Olusola Ibirongbe, Tanimola Makanjuola Akande
Abstract
Introduction: Illness experience by households is majorly financed by out-of-pocket (OOP) payments in Nigeria. Many households adopt informal mechanisms to cope with healthcare expenditure. The existence of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is yet to forestall financial catastrophe with huge gaps in access to care by the poor and informal groups, especially rural dwellers. The objective of this study was to assess the experiences of health shocks and uptake of health insurance among households in North Central Nigeria.
Methodology: This qualitative study involved focus group discussions conducted between June – September, 2019, in selected rural and urban communities in North Central Nigeria. Thematic analysis generated five major themes on health shocks, healthcare facility utilized, health expenditures, coping mechanism and effects of health shocks on households.
Results: Majority of the households, especially rural dwellers reported experience of health shocks in the last one year prior to the study. Most rural and urban households sought care from private health care providers and chemists because public health facilities were inaccessible to due distance and affordability. Almost all household heads in both the rural and urban communities financed healthcare through OOP. Most households had to adopt informal coping mechanisms such as borrowing, selling of assets, deferring payments.
Conclusion: Households in the rural communities experienced more health shocks. The uptake of health insurance among both rural and urban dwellers in North-central Nigeria was very low. State and community-based health insurance schemes should be implemented to provide financial protection.
Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/ijhs.v11n2a8
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