Count data modelling of health insurance and health care utilisation in Nigeria

Aim/purpose– Estimation of the model of interdependent demand for health insurance and health care utilisation involves issues of stochastic dependence between health insurance and health care utilisation. This study explored a count data estimation technique to determine the most appropriate estimation method for the interdependence of health insurance and health care demand in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach– The study employed Hidayat and Pokhrel (2010) framework to choose among the six alternatives of two classes of count data model. The data for the study were collected using a purposive sampling survey in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Findings– The results showed that the general method of moments (GMM) estimator is preferable to model the determinants of medical care consumption with health insurance. Price of health care services is positively related to medical care consumption with health insurance and social health insurance. The income-medical care relationship indi-cated that medical care services are inferior good under private health insurance and a normal good with social health insurance during sick period. Research implications/limitations– The implication of this study is that the estimation method that accommodates endogenous regressors is the appropriate estimation technique for the interdependence of health insurance and health care utilisation. The limitation of this study is that the recall period was just six months prior to the survey. Originality/value/contribution– The study revealed that the estimation techniques for the interdependence of health insurance and health care utilisation must recognised the influence of individual and household characteristics on the decision to purchase health insurance and health care consumption. Hence, diagnostics tests are require to choose the most appropriate estimation technique

Female Education and Contraceptives Use in Nigeria

Contraceptive use is considered important for protecting women’s health and rights, influencing fertility and population growth. This study examined the impact of female education on the use of contraceptives and fertility rate in Nigeria using 2013 and 2018 cohorts of Demography and Health Survey Data. The survey covers women ages 15 to 49 years. The study shows that women’s education, income level, and cultural value are important in explaining women’s reproductive behaviour. The results reveal that female education has a positive significant effect on contraceptives use and a significant negative effect on fertility rate. The contraceptives use and fertility models show that the effects become stronger with an increase in the level of education. Notably, the study shows no significant difference in the behavioural pattern of the factors that influenced contraceptive use and fertility rate in the 2013 and 2018 cohorts of demography and health survey data. The study concludes that female education is vital in encouraging the use of contraceptives and controlling the fertility rate. Hence, the government should invest more in women education to increase women's use of contraceptives, control fertility, and population growth, protect women's health and stimulate sustainable economic development