Study Results from Institute of Medicine Update Understanding of Health Policy and Management (Factors Associated with Enrolment of Households in Nepal’s National Health Insurance Program)

2020 APR 01 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Business Daily -- Investigators publish new report on Health and Medicine - Health Policy and Management. According to news reporting originating in Kathmandu, Nepal, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Nepal has made remarkable efforts towards social health protection over the past several years. In 2016, the Government of Nepal introduced a National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) with an aim to ensure equitable and universal access to healthcare by all Nepalese citizens.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the Institute of Medicine, “Following the first year of operation, the scheme has covered 5 percent of its target population. There are wider concerns regarding the capacity of NHIP to achieve adequate population coverage and remain viable. In this context, this study aimed to identify the factors associated with enrolment of households in the NHIP. A cross-sectional household survey using face to face interview was carried out in 2 Palikas (municipalities) of Ilam district. 570 households were studied by recruiting equal number of NHIP enrolled and non-enrolled households. We used Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression to identify the factors associated with household’s enrolment in NHIP. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 23 software. Enrolment of households in NHIP was found to be associated with ethnicity, socio-economic status, past experience of acute illness in family and presence of chronic illness. The households that belonged to higher socio-economic status were about 4 times more likely to enrol in the scheme. It was also observed that households from privileged ethnic groups such as Brahmin, Chhetri, Gurung, and Newar were 1.7 times more likely to enrol in NHIP compared to those from underprivileged ethnic groups such as janajatis (indigenous people) and dalits (the oppressed). The households with illness experience in 3 months preceding the survey were about 1.5 times more likely to enrol in NHIP compared to households that did not have such experience. Similarly, households in which at least one of the members was chronically ill were 1.8 times more likely to enrol compared to households with no chronic illness. Belonging to the privileged ethnic group, having a higher socio-economic status, experiencing an acute illness and presence of chronically ill member in the family are the factors associated with enrolment of households in NHIP. This study revealed gaps in enrolment between rich-poor households and privileged-underprivileged ethnic groups.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Extension of health insurance coverage to poor and marginalized households is therefore needed to increase equity and accelerate the pace towards achieving universal health coverage.”

For more information on this research see: Factors Associated with Enrolment of Households in Nepal’s National Health Insurance Program. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2019;8(11):636-645.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting V.P. Sapkota, Central Dept. of Pubic Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. Additional authors for this research include P. Ghimire and A.K Poudyal.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.54. 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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