KNOWLEDGE OF NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS IN NORTH CENTRAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess knowledge of National Health Insurance Scheme Services among Civil Servants in
North Central Zone of Nigeria. To achieve this purpose the ex-post facto research design was employed, with the population
of 966,852 Civil Servants who were registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme. A sample size of 398 was drawn
from the population as sample size for this study. A multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified, simple random
sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used. North Central Zone was stratified into three strata to select
3 States from the Zone. Consequently, Kogi, Benue and FCT Abuja were selected. A simple random sampling technique was
used to select six (6) Local Government Areas from each of the selected States. Therefore, a total of 18 Local Government
Areas were selected and used for the study. Data was collected using close-ended questionnaire. A total of 398 questionnaire
were distributed to Civil Servants who are registered with National Health Insurance Scheme using purposive sampling
technique, out of which 384 (97.5%) were duly completed and returned for statistical analysis. The completed questionnaire
was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviations to answer the research questions and One Sample t-
test to test the null hypotheses on knowledge of National Health Insurance Scheme Services among Civil Servants in North
Central Zone of Nigeria. The results revealed that Civil Servants had knowledge of National Health Insurance Scheme. This
because the calculated t-value of 5.736 was greater than the t-critical value of 1.96 at 0.05 alpha level of significance
(p=.0000). Based on the findings of this study, the study concluded that Civil Servants in North Central Zone of Nigeria have
adequate knowledge about National Health Insurance Scheme Services. And based on the conclusion drawn, the following
recommendations were made: 1. That Civil Servants should further be enlightened through health education intervention
programmes such as jingles, radio announcements, handbills, and other forms of advertisement to be well equipped with the
programmes of National Health Insurance Scheme Services in Nigeria.