Determinants of health insurance demand among the migrants in kenya

Abstract

The Second MTP 2013-2017, outlines important predictable challenges which urgently need to be addressed; high cost of health care and financing and low coverage of health insurance. Accessibility of health care services to the general population is an important objective of the government's national health sector strategic plan and national development agenda as specified in the Kenya Vision 2030 policy framework. It recognizes that health insurance plays a major role in reducing the influence of high costs of health care on the economic wellbeing of its people especially the vulnerable population. Therefore, this paper sought to specifically understand factors behind consumption of health insurance among migrant communities in Kenya. The Kenya Demographic and Household Survey (KDHS) 2008was used to assess the pattern and estimate the determinants of Health Insurance Demand among migrants. Utilizing Binary Probit Regression model, the study found out that age of the migrants, education levels, marital status, religion, access to information and language proficiency were statistically significant factors which determined health insurance demand among the migrants in Kenya while employment status, duration of stay, place of current residence, wealth index and household size were found to be statistically insignificant. From the findings, it is shown that age, education levels, marital status and access to information increased consumption of health insurance services. It was further revealed that migrants who were either Roman Catholic, Protestants, Muslims or those who had some kind of belief including those migrants who were language proficient had low probability of purchasing health insurance. Therefore, based on the study findings, this paper recommends that there is need for creation of awareness through religious groups on the importance of health insurance on improving the livelihoods of the people through access to health care. The insurance industry need to establish the right insurance product for migrants that are recognized and acceptable by this heterogeneous population to enhance more consumption