Potential determinants of the desire to enroll in the national health insurance fund among families in the informal sector in the northern state of Sudan

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional study aimed at exploring the potential determinants of the desire to enroll in the NHIF, among families in the informal sector in the Northern State of Sudan as well as their expectation of health insurance. Primary data were collected from 717, families in the informal sector, in the Northern State of Sudan between February and March 2013, using a multi-stage sampling design. The results from estimating a binary choice model reveal that, urban residency health of the head of the family, health of male dependents, medical advice seeking frequency, and perfect and average health insurance awareness, are significantly and positively related with the desire to enroll in NHIF,, while the dummy variable which indicates the occupational status of a merchant is significant and negative. These results are broadly confirmed by estimating an ordered response logit model, but in addition the intensity of the desire to enroll is found to significantly decrease with age, education and family income. The study recommends some reforming interventions that consider people’s expectations of health insurance, and support the goal of achieving universal health insurance coverage of in the Northern State of Sudan.