Determinants of Health Expenditure Among Cassava Farmers in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State

The study examined the determinants of health expenditure among cassava farmers in Onicha LGA of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected with the use of a well-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result indicates the mean age of the cassava farmers was 42.90 years. The cassava farmers aged 60-69 years had the highest health expenditure of N17329.67 and made up 10% of the sampled population of farmers. The result shows that 63.3% of the cassava farmers had no access to credit and they had higher health expenditure of N16700.89. The result shows that 45.6% of the cassava farmers spent 0-6 years in school and they had the lowest health expenditure of N12981.07. The mean level of education of the farmers was 9.99 years, and 32.2% of the farmers spent 14-20 years and had average health expenditure higher than those who spent fewer years in school. The result shows that 80% of the farmers had farm experience of 1-9 years and an average health expenditure of N14498.81. The mean farm size of the cassava farmers was 0.17 hectares, 54.4% of them had farm size within 0.0-0.19 hectares and their average health expenditure was N14561.71. The mean household size of the cassava farmers was 6 persons. The mean income of the cassava farmers was N40692.22. The result shows that 81.1% of the cassava farmers who did not use NHIS had higher health expenditure of N15424.03. The result shows that 41.1%, 48.9%, 5.6%, and 4.4% of the cassava farmers were single, married, divorced and widows and had average health expenditure N17249.46, N12221.61, N14700, and N19025 respectively. The result indicates that 77.8% and 22.2% of the cassava farmers were female and male, and they had average health expenditures of N14539.24 and N15391.7 respectively. The result shows that 44.4%, 37.9%, 14.4%, 2.2%, and 1.1% of the cassava farmers had an average health expenditure within the range of N14,728.68. This result implies that most of the farmers had health expenditure that is within the range of NO-19999 and very few of the cassava farmers spent above N30000 on health. The result in Table 4.2 shows that malaria (= 2.57), typhoid fever (x-2.49), cough/catarrhs (X-2.49), severe joint pain/arthritis (X-2.42), ulcer (x-2.23), eye and ear problem (x-2.10), accident from farm work (x-2.00) and high blood pressure (x-2.00) were among the major health issues in the study area. Health expenditure of cassava farmers was significantly influenced by the age of the cassava farmers (1%), farm experience (1%), incomes (1%) and health history (1%). The study therefore recommend that awareness about the predominant health issues should be created and how to prevent the risk of such health issues should be taught through extension services, farmers' cooperatives and local broadcasting stations. Also cassava farmers who find it difficult to register with the NHIS should be encouraged to engage in other livelihood activities that would increase their income levels to enable them to finance their health issues