Asian Research Journal of Current Science

This study assessed the perception, acceptance and awareness of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among pregnant women in Delta State, Nigeria. A convergent mixed-method research design was adopted. The quantitative component involved 407 pregnant women selected from a population of 5,000, while 18 women participated in the qualitative component. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and an interview guide. The questionnaire was subjected to test-retest reliability, and a Pearson Product-Moment Correlation coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. Frequencies and percentages were used to answer the research questions, while chi-square statistics were used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 significance level. The results showed that respondents varied by age, marital status, education, occupation, residence, ethnicity, income, number of children, stage of pregnancy and insurance status. Findings indicated mixed perceptions of the NHIS. Some women acknowledged its potential to improve access to maternal healthcare and reduce pregnancy-related healthcare costs, while others expressed concerns about service quality, waiting time, enrolment procedures, accessibility, coverage information and trust in providers. Acceptance of the scheme was moderate, with willingness to enrol influenced by perceived affordability, prior healthcare experiences and confidence in service delivery. Awareness was also moderate, although knowledge of specific maternal health services and enrolment procedures remained uneven. The study concluded that clearer information, simplified enrolment and improved service quality are needed to strengthen NHIS acceptance among pregnant women in Delta State.