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Health Economics Review
Published in: Health Economics Review 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

National health insurance subscription and maternal healthcare utilisation across mothers’ wealth status in Ghana

Authors: Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Raymond Elikplim Kofinti, Francis Appiah

Published in: Health Economics Review | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Introduction

This study is against the backdrop that despite the forty-nine percent decline in Maternal Mortality Rate in Ghana, the situation still remains high averaging 319 per 100,000 live births between 2011 and 2015.

Objective

To examine the relationship between National Health Insurance and maternal healthcare utilisation across three main wealth quintiles (Poor, Middle and Rich).

Methods

The study employed data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Both descriptive analysis and binary logistic regression were conducted.

Results

Descriptively, rich women had high antenatal attendance and health facility deliveries represented by 96.5% and 95.6% respectively. However, the binary logistic regression results revealed that poor women owning NHIS are 7% (CI = 1.76–2.87) more likely to make at least four antenatal care visits compared to women in the middle wealth quintile (5%, CI = 2.12–4.76) and rich women (2%, CI = 1.14–4.14). Similarly, poor women who owned the NHIS are 14% (CI = 1.42–2.13) likely to deliver in health facility than women in the middle and rich wealth quintile.

Conclusion

The study has vindicated the claim that NHIS Scheme is pro-poor in Ghana. The Ministry of Health should target women in the rural area to be enrolled on the NHIS to improve maternal healthcare utilisation since poverty is principally a rural phenomenon in Ghana.
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Metadata
Title
National health insurance subscription and maternal healthcare utilisation across mothers’ wealth status in Ghana
Authors
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
Raymond Elikplim Kofinti
Francis Appiah
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Health Economics Review / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2191-1991
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13561-017-0152-8

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