Oral health utilization and awareness of Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY) health insurance scheme in Bangalore

Authors

  • Akshay V. Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Umashankar G. K. Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Pramila M. Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Ritu Maiti Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Aswini M. Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Manjusha P. C. Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20213037

Keywords:

Ayushman Bharat, Government health insurance, Dental insurance, Oral health, PMJAY, Universal health coverage

Abstract

Background: Oral health has a significant impact on quality of life of an individual but often an overlooked component of overall health. Oral diseases are emerging as a major public health concern in India and Ayushman Bharat Yojana focuses to help enhance oral health care of the entire nation. We aimed to assess the awareness and utilization of dental services under Ayushman Bharat health scheme among outpatients in Bangalore hospitals.

Methods: A mixed method comprising case analysis and cross sectional observation was carried out. The annual reports data of Ayushman Bharat scheme in Karnataka was obtained for the case analysis. A cross sectional study was carried out among 150 adults in five Bangalore hospitals and data was collected using self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using SPSS 24.

Results: The study showed that 65.7% of the participants were unaware of Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. 25% of the participants were the beneficiaries of this scheme. Only 6% of the study participants availed general treatment under Ayushman Bharat and the treatment availed were for heart surgeries, labour and child birth, tuberculosis and cancer treatments. 12.5% of our participants were aware about dental coverage included in Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme and only 1 participant availed jaw surgery after road traffic accident under this scheme.

Conclusions: This study showed there is high Out-Of-Pocket Payments (OOP) spending and lack of knowledge regarding dental coverage under Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Author Biographies

Akshay V., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Department of Public Health Dentistry.

Post Graduate Student 

Umashankar G. K., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Department of Public Health Dentistry.

Professor 

Pramila M., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Department of Public Health Dentistry.

Professor and Head of the Department

Aswini M., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Department of Public Health Dentistry.

Post Graduate Student 

Manjusha P. C., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M.R. Ambedkar Dental College & Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Department of Public Health Dentistry.

Post Graduate Student 

References

Rajasekhar D, Berg E, Ghatak M, Manjula R, Roy S. Implementing Health insurance: The rollout of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana in Karnataka. Economic and Political Weekly 2011;46(20):56-63.

Lahariya C. ‘Ayushman Bharat’ program and universal health coverage in India. Indian Pediatr 2018;55:495-506.

Keshri VR, Gupta SS. Ayushman Bharat and road to universal health coverage in India. J Mahatma Gandhi Inst Med Sci. 2019;24:65‑7.

Ayushman Bharat: Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Health and Wellness Centers https://ab-hwc.nhp.gov.in/download/document/45a4ab64b74ab124cfd853ec9a 0127e4.pdf. Accessed on 05 June, 2021.

Reshmi B, Sreekumaran Nair N, Sabu KM, Unnikrishnan B. Awareness of health insurance in a South Indian population – a community-based study, Health and Population – Perspectives and Issues. 2007;30(3):177-88.

Gerard La Forgia, Somil Nagpall. Government sponsored health Insurance in India. Are you covered? World Bank. 2012;39.

Ravi S, Ahluwalia R, Bergkvist S. Health and Morbidity in India (2004‑2014). Brookings India Research. 2016.

Ghosh S, Gupta ND. Targeting and effects of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana on access to care and financial protection. Econ Pol Wkly. 2017;52:32-40.

Downloads

Published

2021-07-27

How to Cite

V., A., K., U. G., M., P., Maiti, R., M., A., & C., M. P. (2021). Oral health utilization and awareness of Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY) health insurance scheme in Bangalore. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 8(8), 4012–4018. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20213037

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles