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Research article
Determinants of Attitude and Intention Towards Private Health Insurance: A Comparison of Insured and Uninsured Young Adults in Australia
Lisa Tam
Queensland University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6520-6120
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Since the introduction in 1984 of Australia’s publicly-funded universal healthcare system, Medicare, healthcare financing has relied on a mix of public and private sources to meet the needs of the population [1]. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the number of Australians choosing to purchase private health insurance (PHI), particularly within the young adult age group with the proportion of insurance customers aged 20 to 29 falling from 10.3% to 9.4% between 2012 and 2017 [2]. Young adults are critical to private health insurance funding models as their involvement offsets the drawdown by older adults[3]. While this issue is widely reported in the Australian media, few empirical studies have explored the factors that enable or constrain young adults’ enrolment in PHI.
Methods: To address the scarcity of research about the motivational factors behind young adult decision-making, this study conducted a survey of 594 Australian young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. Within this age group, the survey sought an equal split of participants who were members and non-members of PHI schemes.
Conclusion: The findings identified perceived value and trust in insurers as additional motivational factors alongside traditional measures of recognition of the problem and involvement in the problem. Differences between the insured and uninsured groups were identified which help to shape a more holistic understanding of the key motivational factors and barriers in relation to Australian young adults’ enrolment in PHI.
Keywords
Australia, Private health insurance, Trust, Value, Young adults
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 23 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 18 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Sep, 2020
First submitted
On 25 Aug, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Health Services Research. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Determinants of Attitude and Intention Towards Private Health Insurance: A Comparison of Insured and Uninsured Young Adults in Australia
Lisa Tam
Queensland University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6520-6120
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 23 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 18 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 03 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Sep, 2020
First submitted
On 25 Aug, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Since the introduction in 1984 of Australia’s publicly-funded universal healthcare system, Medicare, healthcare financing has relied on a mix of public and private sources to meet the needs of the population [1]. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the number of Australians choosing to purchase private health insurance (PHI), particularly within the young adult age group with the proportion of insurance customers aged 20 to 29 falling from 10.3% to 9.4% between 2012 and 2017 [2]. Young adults are critical to private health insurance funding models as their involvement offsets the drawdown by older adults[3]. While this issue is widely reported in the Australian media, few empirical studies have explored the factors that enable or constrain young adults’ enrolment in PHI.
Methods: To address the scarcity of research about the motivational factors behind young adult decision-making, this study conducted a survey of 594 Australian young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. Within this age group, the survey sought an equal split of participants who were members and non-members of PHI schemes.
Conclusion: The findings identified perceived value and trust in insurers as additional motivational factors alongside traditional measures of recognition of the problem and involvement in the problem. Differences between the insured and uninsured groups were identified which help to shape a more holistic understanding of the key motivational factors and barriers in relation to Australian young adults’ enrolment in PHI.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3