The Effects of Cost-Sharing On Healthcare Services Provision in Public Hospitals in Kenya: A Case Study of Kangundo District, Eastern Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The focus of this study was to determine the effects of cost-sharing on healthcare services provided in public hospitals in Kenya by examining a case study of Kangundo District Hospital in the Eastern Provision of Kenya

Design/ Methodology/Approach: The study was conducted out in Kangundo District, Eastern Kenya which covers an area of 178.2 km. A survey research design was used to collect data and was supplemented by field research (qualitative approach). 150 household heads were sampled to generate quantitative data while 10 health care providers from Kangundo District Hospital were interviewed as key informants. A standardized questionnaire was used to interview household heads in the three research sites. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select household heads while non-probability (purposive) sampling was used in the selection of the three locations and three sub-locations, respectively.

Findings: The study established that the introduction of cost-sharing has not led to diverting demand of health care from public to private health care providers in Kangundo District, though patients still utilized private health care facilities in the district.

 Contribution to policy and practice: There is a need for Situational analysis on Health Insurance programs as a supplement to cost-sharing in health care in order to strengthen the quality of policy decision making regarding access and equity in health care.

Originality/Value: This study is the first to empirically establish the Effects Of Cost-Sharing On Healthcare Services Provision In Public Hospitals In Kenya