UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF HEALTH LITERACY IN PUBLIC DECISION MAKING REGARDING HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLMENT: A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Health insurance enrolment is a complex process that requires informed decision-making, impacting individuals, healthcare providers, and insurance companies. Health literacy plays a vital role in shaping these decisions. This research aims to investigate the connection between health literacy and demographic factors in public decision-making about health insurance enrolment. Furthermore, it examines how health literacy influences informed decision-making among Healthcare Providers, Insurance Company Representatives, and Individuals Seeking Information from a multi-stakeholder perspective. To address these objectives, the study formulated several hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 posits that there is no association between the ability to understand health information and demographic variables such as age, gender, education level, and employment status. Hypotheses 2 and 3 assume that there is no significant impact of health literacy on informed decision-making among the different stakeholders involved. The research methodology used in this study is primarily descriptive, employing a convenient sampling approach to select 180 insured individuals from the Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh. Both primary and secondary data sources were utilized to gain insights into the participants' perspectives and opinions on health insurance enrolment. Frequency distribution and descriptive statistics were employed to summarize and present the data, while chi-squares test and cross-tabulation were used to assess the associations between variables. A Likert 5-point rating scale allowed respondents to express their opinions. This study contributes to our understanding of the role of health literacy in public decision-making regarding health insurance enrolment, providing valuable insights into the multi-stakeholder perspective on this critical issue. These findings have implications for healthcare policy, education, and strategies to improve health literacy, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare decision-making in the context of health insurance enrolment.