Title: Understanding the impact of social representations in health microinsurance schemes: a preliminary theoretical framework to guide empirical research

Authors: Lara Gautier

Addresses: Institute of Research for Development, 213, Rue la Fayette, 75010 Paris, France

Abstract: Economic and organisational factors of the success and failure of health microinsurance schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa are well documented. However, the effects of social representations on microinsurance schemes are scarcely addressed by development professionals and the scientific community. The present theoretical contribution attempts to partially fill this gap in a particular setting: mandatory insurance schemes. In several developing countries, partnership programmes involving non-profit organisations, rural cooperatives, and microfinance institutions have recently started to offer health insurance products on a mandatory basis. This paper provides a preliminary conceptual framework for understanding the impact of social representations on understanding and using health microinsurance based on mandatory affiliation. A socio-economic approach is used, drawing on tools and concepts from institutional economics and socio-anthropology.

Keywords: empirical research; theoretical framework; social representations; health microinsurance; HMI; mixed methods; health insurance; Sub-Saharan Africa; mandatory insurance; developing countries; partnership programmes; non-profit organisations; rural cooperatives; microfinance institutions; socioeconomics; institutional economics; socio-anthropology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2013.058853

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.358 - 368

Received: 27 Feb 2013
Accepted: 04 Oct 2013

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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