ABSTRACT
Background: A majority of Nigerians have limited access to healthcare because of the high cost of out-of-pocket payments. The National Health Insurance Scheme was developed to provide affordable healthcare for all. Studies have shown that dissatisfaction with services rendered by the scheme leads to its underutilization. Hence, quality assessments are necessary to ensure that the scheme meets its goal. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of enrolees in the National Health Insurance Scheme clinic at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City and make recommendations as appropriate.
Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among enrolees of the National Health Insurance Scheme primary care clinic in the General Practice Clinic complex of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State. A sample size of 430 was obtained, and a systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents. An interviewer-administered questionnaire and an observational checklist were utilized for the study. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.
Results: A higher proportion, 55.3% (n=430), of the respondents were in the age range of 35 – 54, and 61.4% (n=430) were female. Out of 430 respondents, 96.7% were Christians, 73.7% were married, and 79.8% had a tertiary level of education. The median household income was 100,000 naira. The clinic provided good quality services with a score of 84% on the observational checklist. Most respondents had good knowledge, 73% (n=430), and 63% (n=430) were satisfied with the overall service rendered at the clinic. The determinants of satisfaction were the skill level of the respondents, level of knowledge of the scheme, and age. Among the respondents, 46% reported paying out-of-pocket for drugs. The highest levels of dissatisfaction reported by the respondents were with the toilet (68.5%), the availability of drugs (67.2%), service at the pharmacy section (58.2%), and the fans (53.6%).
