EFFECT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION AND PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS ON THE GHANAIAN NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME. THE CASE OF MALARIA IN A RURAL DISTRICT HOSPITAL

Abstract

This study used data on malaria inpatients from a rural health facility to estimate the effect of the relationship between healthcare utilization and patient characteristics on the National Health Insurance Scheme. Using length of stay as a proxy for expenditure, the study used the Poisson estimation method. The results showed that in a pool of malaria patients, the potential high users of health care can be grouped into three: those who spend a long time in the hospital, (females, people in the active age (between five and fifty nine years), and those with tertiary education), those with high cost per day, (children under five years of age), and those with high cost per day and spend a long time in the hospital (farmers or fishermen). The results also showed that, with the exception of those with tertiary education, patients with primary and junior secondary education were low users of care. Given that the high users of health care mentioned are likely to be poor or belong to deprived communities, the results of this study imply that the poor are likely to be high users of care and hence big spenders. The study makes recommendations to ensure sustainability of the National Health Insurance.