Healthcare Utilisation Among Corps Members Under the National Health Insurance Programme in Rivers State, Nigeria
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The National Youth Service Corps scheme is a mandatory one-year programme for Nigerian graduates aimed at fostering national unity, youth development, and community service.In 2022, the Federal Government introduced a national health insurance initiative, known as the Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme-n, to cater for the healthcare needs of corps members.This study evaluated the utilisation of health services among corps members under the programme in Rivers State, Nigeria.A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 415 corps members in Rivers State, Nigeria, using a pretested, self-administered, anonymous, structured questionnaire.Data was analysed using SPSS version 23.Descriptive statistics (frequency tables and crosstabulations) were used to summarise the data, while inferential statistics to test for association between variables were done using the chi-square test.The level of significance was set at p<0.05.The majority of the respondents were between the ages of 24 and 26 years, with a mean age of 25.9 ± 2.4 years.Outpatient services (85.3%), laboratory/radiological investigations (76.6%), and gynaecological services (15.4%) were the most commonly accessed services.Female corps members reported higher utilisation rates compared to males.This study provides baseline insights into healthcare service utilisation under the national health insurance programme among corps members in Rivers State and recommends further research to inform policy, improve programme effectiveness, and enhance healthcare delivery for corps members and the wider Nigerian population.
Language: English
Subfield: Finance
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409904513