https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2017.6300

Oh, as for the Health Insurance…it’s good, but…: rural elders in Agate, Ghana, discuss the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2017)
Submitted: 21 September 2016
Accepted: 30 November 2016
Published: 15 February 2017
Elders, Health, Policy, Africa, Qualitative study
Abstract Views: 1090
PDF: 526
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Eileen Smith-Cavros
eilesmit@nova.edu
Department of Conflict Resolution Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.
Joyce Avotri-Wuaku
Department of Conflict Resolution Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.
Albert Wuaku
Religious Studies Department, School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States.
Amal Bhullar
Department of Biological Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States.
This paper investigates the Ghanaian National Healthcare Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through interviews with 28 elders over 50 years old with pre-existing illnesses in Agate, a rural village in Ghana. Our goals were to obtain snapshot views of the lives, in relation to health, wellness, and NHIS, of participants. Elders possessed reasonable information about NHIS. For most enrollees, NHIS provided peace of mind against financially-related health challenges, however, inability to afford non-covered medicines sometimes interfered with treatment. Most interviewees, insured or not, reported continuing chronic health problems. Based on qualitative data, we describe possibilities to improve elder experiences including: transportation to medical care, increased drug coverage, and faith-based health partnerships.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
WHO (World Health Organization). Ghana: Looking after its Older People. Features 2013. Accessed on 11/10/2015 at: http://www.who.int/features/2013/ghana-living-longer/en/
Ghana Embassy. Population Webpage. 2013. Accessed on Sept. 22, 2015 at: http://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=population
GSS (Ghana Statistical Services). Poverty Profile Presentation (GLSS6). 2014. Accra, Ghana: Ghana Statistical Service.
Mills, A, Ataguba, J, Akazili J., Borghi, J., et al. Equity in financing and use of health care in Ghana, South Africa, and Tanzania: implications for paths to universal coverage. Lancet 2012; 380(9837): 126-133. Accessed on 10/10/2015: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60357-2
http://resystlshtm.mrmdev.co.uk/sites/resyst.lshtm.ac.uk/files/docs/reseources/Equity%20in%20financing%20and%20use%20of%20health%20care%20in%20Ghana%20Tanzania%20and%20SA%20implications%20for%20path%20to%20universal%20coverage%20Lancet%202012.pdf
Sarpong, N, Loag W, Fobil, J, Meyer CG, et al. National health insurance coverage and socio-economic status in a rural district of Ghana. Trop Med Int Health 2009; 15(2): 191-197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2009.02439.x
Ghana at a Glance. (n.d.). Ghana at a Glance. Retrieved October 3, 2014: http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/about-ghana/ghana-at-a-glance
Jehu-Appiah C, Aryeetey, G, Agyepong, I, et al. Household perceptions and their implications for enrollment in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana. Health Policy Plann 2012; 27(2011): 222-233. doi: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czr032
1093/heapol/czr032
Jehu-Appiah C, Aryeetey G, Spaan E, et al. Equity aspects of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: Who is enrolling, who is not and why? Soc Sci Med 2011; 72: 157-165. Accessed on 10/20/2010 at: http://niche1.nl/resources/content/editorfile/Jehu-Appiah%202011%20-%20Who%20is%20enrolling%20NIH%20Ghana%20-%20SSM.pdf
Mensah, J, Oppong, J, Schmidt C. Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme in the Context of the Health MDGs – An Empirical Evaluation Using Propensity Score Matching. Ruhr Economic Papers 2009; #157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.1633
Blanchet, N. J, Fink, G, Osei-Akoto, I. The Effect of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme on Health Care Utilisation. Ghana Med J 2012; 46(2), 76–84.
Yerramilli, P, Atagubah J. Supplement. Harvard Global Equity Initiative. DCP3. Volume 6, Chapter 15 Supplement: Financing cancer care and control in Ghana. March 2014. Accessed on 10/01/2015 at: http://hgei.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic910623.files/DCP3%20Input%20-Ghana.pdf
Witter S, Arhinful D, Kusi A, Zakariah-Akoto S. The Experience of Ghana in Implementing a User Fee Exemption Policy to Provide Free Delivery Care. Reprod Health Matters 2007; 15(30): 61-71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(07)30325-X
Dixon J, Luginaah I, and Mkandawire P. The national health insurance scheme in Ghana's upper west region: a gendered perspective of insurance acquisition in a resource-poor setting. Soc Sci Med 2014; (122): 103-112. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.028. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.10.028
Dixon J, Tenkorang EY, Luginnah I. Ghana's national health insurance scheme: a national level investigation of members' perceptions of service provision.
Int Health Hum Rights. 2013; 13(35). doi: 10.1186/1472-698X-13-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-13-35
Ghana Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q3 2015. Business Monitor International ©. 2015; 1-123.
NHIS. (National Health Insurance Scheme). 2015B. NHIS Providers suspend Decision to Charge Cardholders. March 27, 2015. Accessed on 10/30/2015 at: http://www.nhis.gov.gh/News/nhis-service-providers-suspend-decision-to-charge-cardholders-4052
Ghana Web. 2015. Doctors Strike: 500 Dead in 17 Days. 17 August. Accessed on 11/13/15 at: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Doctors-strike-500-dead-in-17-days-375648
Laary D. Patients abandon government hospitals as doctors’ strike deepens. Africa News. 2015. Accessed on 11/13/15 at: http://www.theafricareport.com/West-Africa/ghana-patients-abandon-govt-hospitals-as-doctors-strike-deepens.html.
Mba CJ. Population Ageing and Poverty in Rural Ghana. Union for African Population Science African Conference on Ageing. Conference paper. 2004. 1-21. Accessed on 11/20/2015 at: http://wikieducator.org/images/2/26/AGRIC_chuksmba.pdf.
Mba CJ. Population ageing in Ghana: research gaps and the way forward. J Aging Res. 2010; 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2010/672157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4061/2010/672157
Ghana Districts. n.a. Website. 2006. Retrieved 11/10/2015 at: http://www.ghanadistricts.com/districts/?r=7&_=118&sa=2515,
Ghana.gov. n.d. Website. Accessed on 9/25/2015 at: http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/about-ghana/regions/volta.
GSS (Ghana Statistical Service). 2012. Summary Report of Final Results. Sakoa Press Limited. P. 4. May.
Accessed on 11/10/2015 at: http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010phc/Census2010_Summary_report_of_final_results.pdf
GSS (Ghana Statistical Service). 2010. Population and Housing Census Hohoe Municipality. District Analytical Report. Pp. 1-72. (http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Volta/Hohoe%20Mun.pdf
Akazili J, Welaga P, Bawah A. Is Ghana's pro-poor health insurance scheme really for the poor? Evidence from Northern Ghana. BMC Health Services Res B. 2014; 14(14):637. doi: 10.1186/s12913-014-0637-7. Accessed at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/s12913-014-0637-7.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-014-0637-7

Supporting Agencies

Nova Southeastern University

How to Cite

Smith-Cavros, Eileen, Joyce Avotri-Wuaku, Albert Wuaku, and Amal Bhullar. 2017. “Oh, As for the Health Insurance…it’s Good, but…: Rural Elders in Agate, Ghana, Discuss the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme”. Qualitative Research in Medicine and Healthcare 1 (1). https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2017.6300.

PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.