Effect of Geographical Location and Religious Affiliation on Health Insurance Coverage for Women in India

Health insurance coverage is known to improve access to health care and ensure financial protection of beneficiaries across contexts. Despite its benefits, universal health insurance coverage is often subject to a host of social, economic and demographic barriers. In this research, we examine the effect of geographical location and religious affiliation on health insurance coverage for women in India. Towards this objective, the Demographic and Health Survey containing responses from 724,115 women, aged between 15 and 49, was employed. Our findings suggest variations in overall coverage, coverage through government intervention and coverage through private means, based on region and religion of the women respondents. Further, the interaction of region and religion also offers insightful findings. Policy and research implications are discussed. Limitations are acknowledged.