Impact of health insurance on health care utilization: Case study of Nairobi province, Kenya.

Abstract

This paper uses data from "The Kenya National Health Accounts, Household Health expenditure and Utilization Survey, 2003."- Ministry of Health, to examine the impact of health insurance on health care utilization in Nairobi. Health care utilization is categorized into preventive health care, outpatient services and inpatient services. Using probit regression model, the findings are that insurance coverage increases utilization of modern health care, while it does not have any effect on the use of inpatient health care services. Education plays a significant role in the use of preventive health care as is individual's health status and other social demographic characteristics. The higher the income the more the intensity in outpatient visits.