Mixed methods research for health policy development in Africa: The case of identifying very poor households for health insurance premium exemptions in Ghana
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE
Abstract
Despite the utility of applying mixed methods research to understand complex phenomenon,
few studies have applied this approach to health policy and in Africa. This article illustrates the
application of mixed methods research to inform health policy in Ghana with the intent of complementarity. Through an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design involving 24
focus group interviews and 417 household surveys, we developed criteria for identifying very
poor households for health insurance premium exemptions in Ghana. The qualitative procedures identified communities’ concerns regarding being very poor: food insecurity, lack of seeds
to sow, compromised access to education, financial insecurity, and status as unemployed widows
with children. The survey findings illustrated the distribution and predictors of poverty in the
Kassena-Nankana District. Based on these findings, the authors proposed a four-question survey
for the Kassena-Nankana District Health Insurance Scheme to administer to determine extreme
poverty. Based on these recommendations, the local government has a unique opportunity to
increase the very poor’s access to and utilization of health care services.
Description
Keywords
Data complementarity, Very poor households, Mixed methods research, Ghana, Health insurance
Citation
Alatinga, K. A., & Williams, J. J. (2019). Mixed methods research for health policy development in Africa: The case of identifying very poor households for health insurance premium exemptions in Ghana. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(1), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689816665056