IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v62y2006i6p1520-1527.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

"To enrol or not to enrol?": A qualitative investigation of demand for health insurance in rural West Africa

Author

Listed:
  • De Allegri, Manuela
  • Sanon, Mamadou
  • Sauerborn, Rainer

Abstract

In spite of the fact that feeble levels of participation have long been identified as a major constraint to the successful long-term implementation of community-based health insurance (CBI) in low-income countries, evidence on determinants of enrolment in CBI is still lacking. The application of econometric modelling has provided a partial answer to the question, but on its own it has proved to be insufficient to guide policy making. This paper aims to fill this gap in knowledge using qualitative research methods. In-depth interviews with 32 household heads were conducted in the Nouna Health District, Burkina Faso, West Africa to assess determinants of enrolment in a newly established CBI scheme. The findings highlight that factors previously neglected in the literature, such as institutional rigidities and socio-cultural practices, play an important role in shaping the decision to enrol. The discussion of the findings focuses on the policy implications, offering concrete recommendations to maximise enrolment, within and beyond Burkina Faso.

Suggested Citation

  • De Allegri, Manuela & Sanon, Mamadou & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2006. ""To enrol or not to enrol?": A qualitative investigation of demand for health insurance in rural West Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(6), pages 1520-1527, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:6:p:1520-1527
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277-9536(05)00417-X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dong, Hengjin & Kouyate, Bocar & Snow, Rachel & Mugisha, Frederick & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2003. "Gender's effect on willingness-to-pay for community-based insurance in Burkina Faso," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 153-162, May.
    2. Joanna Coast, 1999. "The appropriate uses of qualitative methods in health economics," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(4), pages 345-353, June.
    3. Alexander S. Preker & Guy Carrin, 2004. "Health Financing for Poor People : Resource Mobilization and Risk Sharing," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15019, December.
    4. Criel, Bart & Waelkens, Maria Pia, 2003. "Declining subscriptions to the Maliando Mutual Health Organisation in Guinea-Conakry (West Africa): what is going wrong?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(7), pages 1205-1219, October.
    5. Hengjin Dong & Bocar Kouyate & John Cairns & Frederick Mugisha & Rainer Sauerborn, 2003. "Willingness‐to‐pay for community‐based insurance in Burkina Faso," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(10), pages 849-862, October.
    6. Dong, Hengjin & Mugisha, Frederick & Gbangou, Adjima & Kouyate, Bocar & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2004. "The feasibility of community-based health insurance in Burkina Faso," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 45-53, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Khaled Makhloufi & Bruno Ventelou & Mohammad Abu-Zaineh, 2015. "Have health insurance reforms in Tunisia attained their intended objectives?," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 29-51, March.
    2. Thomas Rouyard & Yukichi Mano & Bocar Mamadou Daff & Serigne Diouf & Khadidiatou Fall Dia & Laetitia Duval & Josselin Thuilliez & Ryota Nakamura, 2022. "Operational and Structural Factors Influencing Enrolment in Community-Based Health Insurance Schemes: An Observational Study Using 12 Waves of Nationwide Panel Data from Senegal," Post-Print halshs-03641124, HAL.
    3. Fink, Günther & Robyn, Paul Jacob & Sié, Ali & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2013. "Does health insurance improve health?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1043-1056.
    4. Basaza, Robert & Criel, Bart & Van der Stuyft, Patrick, 2008. "Community health insurance in Uganda: Why does enrolment remain low? A view from beneath," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 172-184, August.
    5. Wood, Anna, 2023. "Patronage, partnership, voluntarism: Community-based health insurance and the improvisation of universal health coverage in Senegal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    6. Bocoum, Fadima & Grimm, Michael & Hartwig, Renate & Zongo, Nathalie, 2019. "Can information increase the understanding and uptake of insurance? Lessons from a randomized experiment in rural Burkina Faso," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 102-111.
    7. Dong, Hengjin & De Allegri, Manuela & Gnawali, Devendra & Souares, Aurélia & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2009. "Drop-out analysis of community-based health insurance membership at Nouna, Burkina Faso," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(2-3), pages 174-179, October.
    8. Robyn, Paul Jacob & Bärnighausen, Till & Souares, Aurélia & Traoré, Adama & Bicaba, Brice & Sié, Ali & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2014. "Provider payment methods and health worker motivation in community-based health insurance: A mixed-methods study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 223-236.
    9. Ridde, Valery & Haddad, Slim & Yacoubou, Moussa & Yacoubou, Ismaelou, 2010. "Exploratory study of the impacts of Mutual Health Organizations on social dynamics in Benin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 467-474, August.
    10. Mladovsky, Philipa, 2014. "Why do people drop out of community-based health insurance? Findings from an exploratory household survey in Senegal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 78-88.
    11. Coast, Joanna, 2018. "A history that goes hand in hand: Reflections on the development of health economics and the role played by Social Science & Medicine, 1967–2017," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 227-232.
    12. Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez & Bruno Boidin, 2019. "Community-based mutual health organisations in Senegal: a specific form of social and solidarity economy?," Post-Print hal-02400072, HAL.
    13. Aggrey Mavis & Opuni Frimpong Frank & Dr. Nkum Bernard, 2014. "Time as a determinant for National Health Insurance Scheme Subscriber Health Care Utilization," Journal of Social Sciences (COES&RJ-JSS), , vol. 3(3), pages 399-407, July.
    14. Abiiro, Gilbert Abotisem & Torbica, Aleksandra & Kwalamasa, Kassim & De Allegri, Manuela, 2014. "Eliciting community preferences for complementary micro health insurance: A discrete choice experiment in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 160-168.
    15. Agier, Isabelle & Ly, Antarou & Kadio, Kadidiatou & Kouanda, Seni & Ridde, Valéry, 2016. "Endorsement of universal health coverage financial principles in Burkina Faso," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 157-166.
    16. Chantal Herberholz & Wael Ahmed Fakihammed, 2017. "Determinants of Voluntary National Health Insurance Drop-Out in Eastern Sudan," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 215-226, April.
    17. Jehu-Appiah, Caroline & Aryeetey, Genevieve & Spaan, Ernst & de Hoop, Thomas & Agyepong, Irene & Baltussen, Rob, 2011. "Equity aspects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: Who is enrolling, who is not and why?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 157-165, January.
    18. Nikièma, Béatrice & Haddad, Slim & Potvin, Louise, 2008. "Women Bargaining to Seek Healthcare: Norms, Domestic Practices, and Implications in Rural Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 608-624, April.
    19. Pokhrel, Subhash & De Allegri, Manuela & Gbangou, Adijma & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2010. "Illness reporting and demand for medical care in rural Burkina Faso," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 1693-1700, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. De Allegri, Manuela & Sanon, Mamadou & Bridges, John & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2006. "Understanding consumers' preferences and decision to enrol in community-based health insurance in rural West Africa," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 58-71, March.
    2. Gnawali, Devendra Prasad & Pokhrel, Subhash & Sié, Ali & Sanon, Mamadou & De Allegri, Manuela & Souares, Aurélia & Dong, Hengjin & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2009. "The effect of community-based health insurance on the utilization of modern health care services: Evidence from Burkina Faso," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(2-3), pages 214-222, May.
    3. Yiding Yue & Jinyou Zou, 2014. "The Role of Wealth and Health in Insurance Choice: Bivariate Probit Analysis in China," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2014, pages 1-9, March.
    4. Hermann Donfouet & Pierre-Alexandre Mahieu & Eric Malin, 2013. "Using respondents’ uncertainty scores to mitigate hypothetical bias in community-based health insurance studies," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(2), pages 277-285, April.
    5. Dong, Hengjin & De Allegri, Manuela & Gnawali, Devendra & Souares, Aurélia & Sauerborn, Rainer, 2009. "Drop-out analysis of community-based health insurance membership at Nouna, Burkina Faso," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(2-3), pages 174-179, October.
    6. Mohd Zuhair & Fuli Zhou & Saurabh Pratap & Ram Babu Roy, 2022. "Eliciting key attributes of health insurance in rural India: a qualitative analysis," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 1-28, March.
    7. Dror, David Mark & Radermacher, Ralf & Koren, Ruth, 2007. "Willingness to pay for health insurance among rural and poor persons: Field evidence from seven micro health insurance units in India," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 12-27, June.
    8. Hermann Donfouet & Ephias Makaudze & Pierre-Alexandre Mahieu & Eric Malin, 2011. "The determinants of the willingness-to-pay for community-based prepayment scheme in rural Cameroon," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 209-220, September.
    9. Agbaya Stéphane Serge Oga & Akissi Régine Attia-konan & Fulgence Vehi & Jérôme Kouame & Kouamé Koffi, 2019. "Diabetic and cardiovascular patients’ willingness to pay for upcoming national health insurance scheme in Côte d’Ivoire," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    10. Xiao-Hua Ying & Teh-Wei Hu & Jane Ren & Wen Chen & Ke Xu & Jin-Hui Huang, 2007. "Demand for private health insurance in Chinese urban areas," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(10), pages 1041-1050.
    11. Zhang, Licheng & Wang, Hong & Wang, Lushang & Hsiao, William, 2006. "Social capital and farmer's willingness-to-join a newly established community-based health insurance in rural China," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 233-242, April.
    12. Nguyen, Ha & Knowles, James, 2010. "Demand for voluntary health insurance in developing countries: The case of Vietnam's school-age children and adolescent student health insurance program," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(12), pages 2074-2082, December.
    13. David Mark Dror, 2018. "Systematic Review of Willingness to Pay for Health Insurance in Low and Middle Income Countries," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Financing Micro Health Insurance Theory, Methods and Evidence, chapter 8, pages 151-168, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    14. Su, Tin Tin & Sanon, Mamadou & Flessa, Steffen, 2007. "Assessment of indirect cost-of-illness in a subsistence farming society by using different valuation methods," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(2-3), pages 353-362, October.
    15. David Mark Dror, 2018. "What Factors Affect Voluntary Uptake of Community-based Health Insurance Schemes in Lowand Middle-Income Countries? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Financing Micro Health Insurance Theory, Methods and Evidence, chapter 14, pages 271-306, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    16. Tianviwat, Sukanya & Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi & Birch, Stephen, 2008. "Prevention versus cure: Measuring parental preferences for sealants and fillings as treatments for childhood caries in Southern Thailand," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 64-71, April.
    17. Shafie, A.A. & Hassali, M.A., 2013. "Willingness to pay for voluntary community-based health insurance: Findings from an exploratory study in the state of Penang, Malaysia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 272-276.
    18. Dror, David M. & Soriano, Elmer S. & Lorenzo, Marilyn E. & Sarol, Jesus Jr. & Azcuna, Rosebelle S. & Koren, Ruth, 2005. "Field based evidence of enhanced healthcare utilization among persons insured by micro health insurance units in Philippines," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(3), pages 263-271, September.
    19. Nikièma, Béatrice & Haddad, Slim & Potvin, Louise, 2008. "Women Bargaining to Seek Healthcare: Norms, Domestic Practices, and Implications in Rural Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 608-624, April.
    20. Yewande Kofoworola Ogundeji & Babatunde Akomolafe & Kelechi Ohiri & Nuhu Natie Butawa, 2019. "Factors influencing willingness and ability to pay for social health insurance in Nigeria," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-10, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:6:p:1520-1527. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.