Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36071514›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2022

Perceived knowledge of scheme members and their satisfaction with their medical schemes: a cross-sectional study in South Africa.

Francis M'bouaffou, Eric Buch, Steve Olorunju, Evelyn Thsehla

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Digital pulse: Social media reaction to South Africa's National Health Insurance implementation.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Francis M'bouaffouSchool of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Eric BuchSchool of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Steve OlorunjuBiostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.
Evelyn ThsehlaSAMRC/WITS Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. thsehla.eve@gmail.com.
University of Pretoria · ZASouth African Medical Research Council · ZAUniversity of the Witwatersrand · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSouth Africa has a dual healthcare system comprising of private and public sectors covering 16% and 84% of the population, respectively. Medical schemes are the primary source of health insurance in the private sector. The aim of this study was to assess members of medical schemes' perceived knowledge and satisfaction with their medical schemes.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted using a stratified systematic sample of members of 22 open medical schemes. Medical schemes members completed an online questionnaire on knowledge and satisfaction with their medical schemes. We calculated a composite perceived knowledge and satisfaction score. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis was conducted.

resultsA total of 336 members of medical schemes participated in this study. Respondents generally perceived themselves to have good knowledge of their medical schemes. Eighty-one percent of participants were satisfied with the quality of services received from their designated service providers (DSPs), however, only 9% were satisfied with accessibility of doctors under their DSP arrangement. Twenty-five percent of respondents were satisfied with scheme contributions and only 46% were satisfied with the prescribed minimum benefit package.

conclusionMedical schemes remain a key element of private healthcare in South Africa. The analysis shows that medical schemes, should put more effort into the accessibility of general practitioner under their designated service providers. Furthermore, the prescribed minimum benefits should be reviewed to provide a comprehensive benefits basket without co-payment for members as recommended by the Medical Schemes Act Amendment Bill of 2018.

Indexed as

Insurance, HealthPersonal SatisfactionCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPrivate SectorSouth AfricaKnowledgeMedical schemesMember satisfactionPrescribed minimum benefits

Identifiers

PMID36071514
PMCPMC9454120
OpenAlexW4294992994

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.