Investigating / Studying the Public Perception of Health Insurance and Health Provision Cost Post Pandemic

Section 1: Introduction

The public perception of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia has become a significant area of concern post-pandemic. With the increase in healthcare costs and the changing landscape of health insurance coverage, it is important to understand how the public views these issues. Al Mutair et al. (2022) show, for instance, that during the pandemic, The cost per case for mild to moderate disease, severe disease, and critically ill was 2003 USD, 14,545 USD, and 20,188 USD, respectively (p. 21487). Those costs are expected to increase as economic pressures increase (Alghalyini et al., 2021).

The research problem of interest is to determine the current level of public awareness and understanding of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia post-pandemic, and to identify the factors that influence their perception. This research will contribute to a broader understanding of the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia and help policy-makers make informed decisions regarding health insurance and health provision cost in the country.

Section 2: Unpack the Novelty

The need for this research stems from the current gap in the literature on the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia post-pandemic (Samha et al., 2022). The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a robust and accessible healthcare system and has brought the issue of health insurance and healthcare costs to the forefront. Understanding the public's perception of these issues is crucial for policymakers as they shape the future of the healthcare system in the country (Samha et al., 2022).

This research has a fresh approach by focusing on the post-pandemic context and examining the changes in the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost. It will provide insights into the impact of the pandemic on the public's perception and highlight the areas that require attention. Additionally, this research will use a qualitative approach, which will allow for in-depth exploration of the subject matter and provide a more nuanced understanding of the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost.

The gap in the literature on this subject has significant implications for practice as it limits the ability of policymakers to make informed decisions regarding healthcare provision and health insurance in Saudi Arabia. By addressing this gap, this research will contribute to the development of a more comprehensive understanding of the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia and inform policies that aim to improve the healthcare system for all citizens.

Section 3: Literature Review / Overview

A comprehensive review of the existing literature on public perception of health insurance and health provision cost post-pandemic in Saudi Arabia has been conducted. This review has revealed that there is limited research in this area, particularly in the post-pandemic context (Alharbi et al., 2022). The existing literature has focused primarily on the challenges and limitations of the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia and the need for reforms (Mubaraki et al., 2021; Yusuf & Rajeh, 2022).

However, a few studies have explored the public's perception of health insurance and healthcare provision in the country. These studies have found that the public perceives the current healthcare system as inadequate and highlights the need for improvements, particularly in terms of accessibility and affordability. The public has expressed concern over the high cost of healthcare and the limited coverage provided by health insurance in the past (Al-Hanawi et al., 2020; Rahman, 2020).

In addition to academic sources, government reports and industry sources have also been consulted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. These sources have revealed that the government has made significant investments in the healthcare sector and is taking steps to improve the system, such as implementing a National Health Insurance program and increasing the number of public hospitals.

Based on the literature review, it can be concluded that there is a need to understand the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia post-pandemic. This research will contribute to a better understanding of the challenges faced by the healthcare system and inform the development of policies that aim to improve the system and enhance access to affordable healthcare for all citizens.

Several statistics would apply to this topic of understanding the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost post-pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Some of the statistics that might be relevant to this topic include:

Health Insurance Coverage: According to data from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of the population with health insurance coverage has been steadily increasing in recent years.

Healthcare Spending: Data from the World Bank indicates that healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP in Saudi Arabia has been increasing in recent years. In 2020, healthcare spending in Saudi Arabia was estimated to be 5.7% of GDP.

Healthcare Utilization: Data from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia indicates that the utilization of healthcare services has increased in recent years, particularly in the public sector, up 4% year-over-year.

Public vs Private Healthcare: Data from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia indicates that the utilization of private healthcare services has been increasing in recent years, up 5%.

Healthcare Quality: Data from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia indicates that the quality of healthcare services provided in Saudi Arabia has been improving in recent years. However, there are still disparities in the quality of care provided by public and private healthcare services.

Thes statistics provide a general understanding of the current state of health insurance and healthcare in Saudi Arabia and can be useful in framing the research problem and understanding the context of the research. However, further research is needed to fully understand the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost post-pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

A conceptual model could be proposed to understand the factors that influence the public perception of health insurance and health provision cost in Saudi Arabia post-pandemic. The model could include different variables such as the cost of healthcare, the coverage provided by health insurance, the quality of healthcare services, and the accessibility of healthcare, as well as how these are perceived individually and respectively by different strata of...…provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem.

The data analysis and interpretation phase will involve analyzing the data collected in the previous phase using thematic analysis. This phase is expected to take 2 months, as it is important to ensure that the data is analyzed thoroughly and the findings are interpreted accurately.

The report writing and submission phase will involve writing up the findings and conclusions of the research, and submitting the final report. This phase is expected to take 1 month.

In terms of costing, the research project is expected to cost [insert estimated cost]. This cost will cover expenses such as participant incentives, transcription and coding services, software for data analysis, and printing and dissemination costs. The cost schedule will be updated as necessary during the course of the research project.

Overall, the timelining and costing of this research project have both been carefully planned to ensure that the research is completed within a realistic and achievable timeframe, while also ensuring that the research is completed to a high standard.

Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6

Task

Literature Review

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Report Writing

Submission

Gantt Chart. Timeline.

Section 7: Research Instruments

The appropriate research instrument for this study is a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire will consist of a combination of closed and open-ended questions that will help to gather the necessary data for this research project. The following is a preliminary outline of the questionnaire:

1. Demographic Information

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Occupation

d. Education Level

2. Awareness of Health Insurance

a. Do you have health insurance?

b. How did you become aware of health insurance?

c. What is your understanding of health insurance?

3. Perceptions of Health Insurance

a. How important do you believe health insurance is?

b. What are your concerns regarding health insurance?

c. How do you perceive the cost of health insurance?

d. Have you ever used your health insurance to cover medical costs?

4. Perceptions of Health Provision

a. How satisfied are you with the healthcare services provided in Saudi Arabia?

b. How do you perceive the cost of healthcare services in Saudi Arabia?

c. Have you ever used public healthcare services?

d. Have you ever used private healthcare services?

e. What are your opinions on the quality of care provided by public and private healthcare services in Saudi Arabia?

f. If you could, what would you change about them?

5. Post-Pandemic Perceptions

a. Have your perceptions of health insurance changed since the pandemic?

b. Have your perceptions of healthcare services changed since the pandemic?

c. Are you more likely to use health insurance to cover medical costs post-pandemic?

d. Are you more likely to use public or private healthcare services post-pandemic?

e. Has the pandemic altered your perception of health care in general?

f. Has the pandemic altered your perception of the need for health care coverage?

g. Has the pandemic altered your perception of what health coverage should include?

The questionnaire will be administered to a sample of the population in Saudi Arabia. The sample will be selected using purposive sampling and will consist of individuals who have experience with health insurance and healthcare services in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire will be administered through an online survey platform and will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. The data collected from the questionnaire…