AN EXPLORATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH INSURANCE PARTICIPATION BY URBAN HIGH-DENSITY HOUSEHOLDS IN ZIMBABWE: CASE OF BUDIRIRO 1
Date
2020-09-24
Authors
ARCHFORD, GANDIDZANWA
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence the decision to participate in
health insurance by urban high density households in Zimbabwe using primary data from
Budiriro 1 suburb in Harare. This came in the wake of deteriorating health standards and nonparticipation in health insurance schemes on the part of most Zimbabweans. Specifically, the
study investigated the major drivers causing majority of healthcare users to rely on out-of-pocket
expenditure rather than purchasing medical insurance and examined the influence of
socioeconomic and demographic factors such as household income, education level, employment
status, religion and gender of household head on the probability of health insurance
participation. From the target population, a sample of 120 households were randomly selected
and interviewed. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data between February
and March 2018. Given the discrete nature of health insurance participation, data presentation
and analysis was done using both descriptive statistics and the probit model. The study
established that the motives for households’ reliance on out-of-pocket were lack of awareness,
chronic illness and the existence of tariff impasse between medical insurance schemes and
healthcare providers. Probit regression results show that the household head’s level of
education, household income, employment status, and religion positively affect health insurance
participation whereas gender was found to negatively influence participation in health
insurance. Age and health insurance participation were found to have a quadratic relationship
of a concave form. To improve participation in health insurance, the study argues for the health
insurance industry to claim greater involvement in the nation’s educational achievements and
productivity stimulating endeavours. The study also recommends educating all healthcare users,
regardless of religion or age on the importance of being insured so as to increase coverage
across all age groups as well as on apostolic health care users.
Description
Health economics