Health Insurance: Knowledge, Perception, and Willingness to Enroll Among Uninsured Persons in Nigeria

There is a significant amount of research on the level of knowledge, perception, and willingness to enroll in health insurance in developed countries. A number of studies have found that people in developed countries have a high level of knowledge about health insurance, and they perceive it as a valuable tool for managing their health. However, there is still a significant portion of the population that is uninsured. The general objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, perception, and willingness to enroll for a health insurance scheme among uninsured persons in Nigeria. Uyo metropolis was used as the case study. A cross sectional study was carried out with a sample size of 500 uninsured persons around the Uyo metropolis. Data was collected using self-administered and structured questionnaires after an informed consent was obtained from each respondent. Data analysis was conducted using the IBM Statistical Products and Services Solution (SPSS) version-25.0 software. The obtained data was summarized using descriptive statistics with frequencies and percentages used as appropriate. The study found that only 66.5% of respondents had heard of health insurance, indicating a moderate level of awareness. About 81% of the respondents do not know how health insurance works, while 51% of the respondents do not believe that enrolling for health insurance is cheaper than out-of-pocket expenditure. About 75% of the respondents were unwilling to enroll for a health insurance scheme. The study reveals gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about health insurance among the uninsured in Uyo. Targeted education campaigns, affordable premiums and payment options, and improved understanding of how insurance works could help increase voluntary enrollment.