Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon
Background. Health insurance ownership facilitates access and minimizes financial hardship after utilization of healthcare services such as computed tomography (CT). Understanding the rational utilization of CT by people with health insurance can help optimize the scheme and provide baseline informa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Radiology Research and Practice |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9959114 |
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| author | Joshua Tambe Yannick Onana Sylviane Dongmo Georges Nguefack-Tsague Pierre Ongolo-Zogo |
| author_facet | Joshua Tambe Yannick Onana Sylviane Dongmo Georges Nguefack-Tsague Pierre Ongolo-Zogo |
| author_sort | Joshua Tambe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Health insurance ownership facilitates access and minimizes financial hardship after utilization of healthcare services such as computed tomography (CT). Understanding the rational utilization of CT by people with health insurance can help optimize the scheme and provide baseline information for a national universal health coverage program. Objective. To assess the relationship between health insurance ownership and the appropriateness of requests for CT in a peripheral referral hospital in Cameroon. Methods. A survey of CT users was conducted during which information on health insurance ownership was collected and the request forms for CT assessed for appropriateness using the American College of Radiologists (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria®. Results. We consecutively enrolled 372 participants of which 167 (45%) were females. The median age (range) was 52 (18–92) years. Thirty-eight out of 370 participants reported having health insurance (10.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.2%–13.4%). Twenty-nine out of 352 CT scan requests (8.2%; 95% CI: 5.3–11.0) were judged to be “inappropriate.” The proportion of inappropriate scan requests was higher amongst people with health insurance compared to those without health insurance (18.4% vs. 7.0%; χ2 = 5.8; p=0.02). In the logistic regression analysis, health insurance ownership was associated to the appropriateness of CT requests in the univariate analysis only (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13–0.84; p=0.020). Conclusions. Inappropriate requests for CT were low but nevertheless associated to health insurance ownership. The continuous sensitization and training of physicians would help minimize potential wasteful utilization of resources. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ab588eea953b4b7e9f017872264f314e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2090-1941 2090-195X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Radiology Research and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-ab588eea953b4b7e9f017872264f314e2025-08-20T02:20:13ZengWileyRadiology Research and Practice2090-19412090-195X2021-01-01202110.1155/2021/99591149959114Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in CameroonJoshua Tambe0Yannick Onana1Sylviane Dongmo2Georges Nguefack-Tsague3Pierre Ongolo-Zogo4Division of Radiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Buea, Buea, CameroonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, CameroonDivision of Radiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Buea, Buea, CameroonBiostatistics Unit, Department of Public Health, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, CameroonDepartment of Public Health, Centre for Research and Training in Graduate Studies in Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, CameroonBackground. Health insurance ownership facilitates access and minimizes financial hardship after utilization of healthcare services such as computed tomography (CT). Understanding the rational utilization of CT by people with health insurance can help optimize the scheme and provide baseline information for a national universal health coverage program. Objective. To assess the relationship between health insurance ownership and the appropriateness of requests for CT in a peripheral referral hospital in Cameroon. Methods. A survey of CT users was conducted during which information on health insurance ownership was collected and the request forms for CT assessed for appropriateness using the American College of Radiologists (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria®. Results. We consecutively enrolled 372 participants of which 167 (45%) were females. The median age (range) was 52 (18–92) years. Thirty-eight out of 370 participants reported having health insurance (10.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.2%–13.4%). Twenty-nine out of 352 CT scan requests (8.2%; 95% CI: 5.3–11.0) were judged to be “inappropriate.” The proportion of inappropriate scan requests was higher amongst people with health insurance compared to those without health insurance (18.4% vs. 7.0%; χ2 = 5.8; p=0.02). In the logistic regression analysis, health insurance ownership was associated to the appropriateness of CT requests in the univariate analysis only (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13–0.84; p=0.020). Conclusions. Inappropriate requests for CT were low but nevertheless associated to health insurance ownership. The continuous sensitization and training of physicians would help minimize potential wasteful utilization of resources.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9959114 |
| spellingShingle | Joshua Tambe Yannick Onana Sylviane Dongmo Georges Nguefack-Tsague Pierre Ongolo-Zogo Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon Radiology Research and Practice |
| title | Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon |
| title_full | Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon |
| title_short | Health Insurance Ownership and Quality of Computed Tomography Requests: Experience from a Peripheral Referral Hospital in Cameroon |
| title_sort | health insurance ownership and quality of computed tomography requests experience from a peripheral referral hospital in cameroon |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9959114 |
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