Willingness to Pay for Community Health Insurance and Its Determinants Among Household Heads in Rural Communities in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract Background: Willingness to pay data are rarely collected or used as part of designing health insurance schemes in developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess household heads’ willingness to pay for community health insurance and its determinants in rural communities of Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among household heads in rural communities of Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State. Sample size of 360 was determined using Fishers formula and multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents. Semi structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used and data analysis was done using Epi-info version 3.4.1. Frequency tables and cross-tabulations were generated with a statistical significance p-value pre-determined at less than 0.05. Results: The mean amount respondents were willing to pay was 522.0 + 266.3 Naira per annum per household member (3.26 + 1.66 US Dollars). Those willing to be pay were 313(87.0%) and the allowable range for fixing premium is between 250 Naira and 1,200 Naira (1.56 + 7.50 US Dollars) per annum per household member. The factors that affect Willingness to pay were age, sex, educational attainment, income, household size, and past health expenditure of household heads. Conclusion: The amount of premium that should be fixed for Community Health Insurance in these rural communities should range between 250 Naira to 1,200 Naira (1.56 + 7.50 US Dollars) per annum per household member. Abstract word count: 248 KEYWORDS: Community, Insurance, Willingness to pay. 1