Health Insurance: Factors Influencing the Utilization of Health Insurance Schemes by Medical Doctors in Lagos State, South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Health insurance is an important determinant of access to healthcare services worldwide. In Nigeria, different health insurance schemes are available but their level of utilization differs among the population. Social and private health insurance schemes are trying to achieve up to 20% coverage. Using a target population in a specific location, this research aimed to study the factors influencing the utilization of health insurance schemes by medical doctors in Mushin Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State, South-West Nigeria. This research is a cross-sectional descriptive study and involved 300 medical doctors who were selected in Mushin LGA using a multi-stage sampling technique. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26, and statistical significance was set at p-value<0.05. Bivariate analysis was used to describe the dependent and the independent variables. Chi-square and logistic regression (where appropriate) were used to test for association between independent and dependent variables. Many of the respondents were aware of existing different health insurance schemes. Six factors influencing the utilization of health insurance schemes were identified such as prolonged waiting time (87.0%), use of substandard drugs for enrollees (86.0%), shortage of drugs (out-of-stock medicines) (86.3%), poor attitude of healthcare workers (72.3%), insurance scheme does not cover some healthcare services and drugs (89.7%), and lastly, stringent and unsatisfactory terms and conditions of health insurance schemes (85.0%). The design and delivery of health insurance schemes should be improved upon by the stakeholders, in order to make health insurance attractive to the general population.