Studies from Tribhuvan University Have Provided New Data on Education (Enrollment and Associated Factors of the National Health Insurance Program of Nepal: Further Analysis of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022): Education

2024 NOV 18 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Fresh data on Education are presented in a new report. According to news reporting from Kathmandu, Nepal, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The focus of this study was on the current enrollment status of the government-funded health insurance (HI) program in Nepal, which is necessary to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Despite the government’s commitment, the program faces challenges of low enrollment and high dropout rates, hindering progress towards this goal.”

Financial supporters for this research include DHS Program Mentored Papers Program, DHS Program Mentored Papers Program.

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Tribhuvan University, “With a purpose to find out the associated factors for enrollment in HI, the cross-sectional study employs secondary data obtained from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022. A multi-stage sampling method yielded a representative sample of 14,280 households, and an interview was conducted with 14,845 females and 4,913 males aged 15-49. A weighted sample was employed and subsequently analyzed through the use of R. The analysis reveals a concerningly low enrollment rate, with only 10% of the surveyed population possessing government HI. Furthermore, significant geographical disparities were found to exist-Koshi Province had the highest coverage (21.8% men and 20.4% women), while Madhesh Province lagging far behind (3.1% men and 2.7% women). Additionally, the enrollment rates correlated positively with urban residence, higher socioeconomic statuses, and employment, with no subgroup surpassing 30% coverage, though. The study demonstrates a positive association between HI and healthcare utilization, with insured individuals exhibiting a higher likelihood of visiting health facilities and reporting fewer access-related issues. Respondents with higher levels of education and greater wealth were significantly more likely to enroll in HI than those with basic education and middle-level wealth, respectively. This pattern holds consistently for both males and females. These findings suggest that the program, aiming for 60% coverage by 2023/24, is currently off-track. Policymakers should interpret these data as a call for action, prompting the development and implementation of the targeted interventions to address enrollment disparities across Nepal.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “By focusing on the low-coverage areas and the vulnerable populations, the program can be strengthened and contribute meaningfully to achieving universal health coverage by 2030.”

For more information on this research see: Enrollment and Associated Factors of the National Health Insurance Program of Nepal: Further Analysis of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022. PLOS ONE, 2024;19(10). PLOS ONE can be contacted at: Public Library Science, 1160 Battery Street, Ste 100, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA. (Public Library of Science - www.plos.org; PLOS ONE - www.plosone.org)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Devaraj Acharya, Tribhuvan University, Res Ctr Educ Innovat & Dev Cerid, Kathmandu, Nepal. Additional authors for this research include Sushil Sharma and Kristin Bietsch.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310324. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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