Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study
Fentaw Girmaw,1 Ejigayehu Adane,2 Abebe Tarekegn Kassaw,1 Getachew Ashagrie,1 Tenaw Baye1 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Wollo University, Wollo, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tenaw Baye, Email te...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2023-07-01
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| Series: | ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/willingness-to-pay-for-social-health-insurance-among-health-care-profe-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CEOR |
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| author | Girmaw F Adane E Kassaw AT Ashagrie G Baye T |
| author_facet | Girmaw F Adane E Kassaw AT Ashagrie G Baye T |
| author_sort | Girmaw F |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fentaw Girmaw,1 Ejigayehu Adane,2 Abebe Tarekegn Kassaw,1 Getachew Ashagrie,1 Tenaw Baye1 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Wollo University, Wollo, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tenaw Baye, Email tenegnaw27@gmail.comBackground: Ethiopia introduced a social health insurance (SHI) scheme for the formal sector that will cost 3% of the monthly salary as a premium and provide universal health coverage. Since health care professionals (HCP) are the primary front-line service providers, their willingness to pay (WTP) for SHI may have a direct or indirect impact on how the programme is implemented. However, little is known about WTP for SHI among HCP.Objective: To assess WTP for SHI and associated factors among government employee HCP in the North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia.Methods: Using the contingent valuation method, a mixed approach and cross-sectional study design were applied. For the qualitative study design, in-depth interviews were performed with focal persons and officers of health insurance. Multistage systematic random sampling was used to select 636 healthcare professionals. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of WTP for SHI. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: A response rate of 92.45% was achieved among the 636 participants, with 588 healthcare professionals completing the interview. The majority (61.7%) of participants were willing to join and pay the suggested SHI premium. Participants’ WTP was significantly positively associated with the presence of under five years of children but their willingness to pay was significantly negatively associated with the female gender and increasing monthly salary. On the other hand, on the qualitative side, the amount of premium contribution, benefits package, and quality of service were the major factors affecting their WTP.Conclusion: The majority of healthcare professionals were willing to pay for the SHI scheme, almost as much as the premium set by the government. This suggests proof that healthcare financing reform is feasible, particularly for the implementation of the SHI system.Keywords: Ethiopia, health care professionals, social health insurance, willingness to pay |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:32:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd84275239154b089756cf9ad89447aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6981 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:32:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd84275239154b089756cf9ad89447aa2023-07-27T19:14:33ZengDove Medical PressClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research1178-69812023-07-01Volume 1559360685455Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method StudyGirmaw FAdane EKassaw ATAshagrie GBaye TFentaw Girmaw,1 Ejigayehu Adane,2 Abebe Tarekegn Kassaw,1 Getachew Ashagrie,1 Tenaw Baye1 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Science, Wollo University, Wollo, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tenaw Baye, Email tenegnaw27@gmail.comBackground: Ethiopia introduced a social health insurance (SHI) scheme for the formal sector that will cost 3% of the monthly salary as a premium and provide universal health coverage. Since health care professionals (HCP) are the primary front-line service providers, their willingness to pay (WTP) for SHI may have a direct or indirect impact on how the programme is implemented. However, little is known about WTP for SHI among HCP.Objective: To assess WTP for SHI and associated factors among government employee HCP in the North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia.Methods: Using the contingent valuation method, a mixed approach and cross-sectional study design were applied. For the qualitative study design, in-depth interviews were performed with focal persons and officers of health insurance. Multistage systematic random sampling was used to select 636 healthcare professionals. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of WTP for SHI. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: A response rate of 92.45% was achieved among the 636 participants, with 588 healthcare professionals completing the interview. The majority (61.7%) of participants were willing to join and pay the suggested SHI premium. Participants’ WTP was significantly positively associated with the presence of under five years of children but their willingness to pay was significantly negatively associated with the female gender and increasing monthly salary. On the other hand, on the qualitative side, the amount of premium contribution, benefits package, and quality of service were the major factors affecting their WTP.Conclusion: The majority of healthcare professionals were willing to pay for the SHI scheme, almost as much as the premium set by the government. This suggests proof that healthcare financing reform is feasible, particularly for the implementation of the SHI system.Keywords: Ethiopia, health care professionals, social health insurance, willingness to payhttps://www.dovepress.com/willingness-to-pay-for-social-health-insurance-among-health-care-profe-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CEORethiopiahealth care professionalssocial health insurancewillingness to pay |
| spellingShingle | Girmaw F Adane E Kassaw AT Ashagrie G Baye T Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research ethiopia health care professionals social health insurance willingness to pay |
| title | Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study |
| title_full | Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study |
| title_fullStr | Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study |
| title_short | Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Health Care Professionals in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Mixed Method Study |
| title_sort | willingness to pay for social health insurance among health care professionals in north wollo zone amhara region ethiopia mixed method study |
| topic | ethiopia health care professionals social health insurance willingness to pay |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/willingness-to-pay-for-social-health-insurance-among-health-care-profe-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CEOR |
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