Factors Affecting Uptake Of Health Insurance Services among Patients Attending Out Patients Department At St. Francis Hospital Mutolere, Kisoro District

Though Uganda lacks a national health insurance scheme, there is still a low uptake of the
available private and community based health insurance services stagnated at 21%.
The study was meant to assess the factors affecting uptake of health insurance services among
patients attending out-patient department at St. Francis hospital Mutolere, Kisoro District. The
objectives of the study were to find out patient related and to identify institutional related factors
affecting uptake of health insurance services among patients attending OPD. A hospital based
descriptive cross-sectional study which employed quantitative methods of data collection on 100
patients using a systematic sampling technique was used. Data was collected using a pre-tested
self-administered questionnaire which was analyzed using statistical Package for Social Science
(SPSS) version 16 and excel program 2010 and presented in form of tables and figures for easy
interpretation.
The uptake of health insurance services was found low at 30%. The study also indicated lack of
money (87.1%), long distance from home to the insurance health scheme (74.3%), increased
number of family members (72.9%), lack of interest (71.4%) and lack of information (21%) as
patient related factors that explain low uptake rate. Extra charges/ high costs (100%),
availability of similar services from nearby government health facilities (90%), Unexpected
increment of package premiums (84%), Refusing to tell patients their diagnoses (68%), Long
distance to insurance offering institution (57%) and Lack of privacy (52%) as institutional related factors.
Therefore, lack of money, long distance from home to insurance health scheme, and lack of
interest, Extra charges/ high costs, and availability of same services in public hospitals and
unexpected increment of package premiums have significantly resulted into low uptake of
available health insurance services. Hence, the study recommends the government to introduce
Uganda national health insurance scheme aiming at ensuring health for all.