Knowledge and attitudes of informal workers in Jos-Jarawa Council ward of Plateau State, towards the National Health Insurance Scheme

Abstract

Background: Health insurance has been accepted as an optimal strategy for addressing financial constraints to universal health care. At its introduction in 2005, the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme targeted universal coverage by 2015. However, five years  afterwards, less than 5% of the population is covered, mostly the formal sector, while largely excluding the informal sector. This study assessed knowledge and attitudes of informal workers towards the scheme in Jos- Jarawa Council Ward of Plateau State. The findings will foster a better understanding of artisans’ health insurance behaviours, and inform future designs of the scheme.

Method: A descriptive, cross sectional design was adopted. One hundred sixty five participants were conveniently sampled and socio-demographic, knowledge and attitudes data of artisans about health insurance collected, using a pretested interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Epi Info version 3.5.4. Statistical 2 software and Chi-square (X ) was applied to test for statistical significance.

Results: One hundred and eleven (67.3%) of the 165 participants were males and 54 (32.7%) were females, with age range of 15-55 years and median age of 31 years. Majority of the respondents (83.6%) had poor knowledge of the scheme, while155 (93.9%) had negative  attitude towards the scheme. Statistically significant relationships existed between education and knowledge, education and attitude and monthly income and attitude about the scheme by respondents.

Conclusion: Knowledge of, and attitudes towards health insurance among artisans was low and poor respectively. Ministries of health and  related agencies need to improve health insurance literacy interventions targeting informal workers