Participation in health insurance and changes in the well‑being status of co‑operative members in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper analyses the association between participating in health insurance and improvements in the well-being status of co-operative members. It is expected that individuals, co-operative members, in particular, participate in health insurance schemes with expectations of changing and improving various dimensions of well-being. The analyses using partial least squire structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that participation in health insurance significantly positively impacts change in the well-being status of co-operative members. Further, confirming the Theory of Dispositional Optimism co-operative members’ expectations mediate the relationship between participation in health insurance and changes in their well-being status. The study also found that expectations levels positively moderate the relationship between health insurance participation and changes in co-operative members’ wellbeing status. These findings imply that co-operative members with higher positive expectations out of health insurance participation are in an advantageous position to make and allow positive decisions that positively impact their well-being.