Bahrain has a clear achievable path to building public confidence in its national health insurance reform, according to two new studies, which call for a stronger focus on communication over technology.
The research papers, both authored by Manama-based researcher Salim Hasan Al Arrayed, urge policymakers to invest in targeted public education, media campaigns and community outreach as the kingdom continues its shift to insurance-based universal health coverage.
The first study, published in the peer-reviewed Interdisciplinary Social Research journal, is titled ‘Awareness and Perceptions of Bahrain’s Governmental Health Insurance’, while the second, published in the academic Multidimensional Research Insights journal, is titled ‘Public Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes Towards Digital Health Insurance Platforms in Bahrain’.
“To ensure successful implementation and progress toward Universal Health Coverage, policymakers should prioritise transparent communication, targeted public education and strategies that strengthen community engagement and confidence in the evolving insurance framework,” Mr Al Arrayed noted, in the conclusions to the first study.
The studies surveyed residents at governmental health centres and across the community to gauge public understanding of Bahrain’s health coverage developments.
The first study, involving 194 patients at government health centres between August 2025 and January this year, found that only 36.6 per cent of respondents had heard of the scheme, while fewer than three in 10 knew how to enroll in it.
More than 73pc of respondents said they did not trust the scheme to meet their healthcare needs, while 13.4pc believed it was having a positive impact on public health.
However, nearly 79pc of participants said they would still choose government insurance over private alternatives, which the researcher has linked to Bahrain’s long-standing tradition of publicly funded healthcare.
“In spite of Bahrain having traditionally demonstrated high health indicators with the help of the public system, the shift to an insurance-oriented system presents new issues concerning awareness, literacy, trust and satisfaction,” Mr Al Arrayed added.
“These gaps will be dealt with using the means of open communication, better quality of service and participatory policymaking, which will be crucial in guaranteeing the efficiency, equity and financial security of the governmental health insurance scheme.”
The second study looked specifically at digital health insurance platforms, surveying 300 residents and conducting 12 in-depth interviews. It found that trust, not age, income, education or gender, was the strongest predictor of whether someone used the platforms, alongside ease-of-use and general awareness.
Cost concerns and demographic background, which are often assumed to shape digital adoption, showed no significant statistical effect.
Both studies converge on a similar set of recommendations for policymakers.
More than three-quarters of respondents in the first study called for more public education, while more than 70pc backed media campaigns as an effective awareness tool.
More than 50pc pointed to community outreach programmes, as well as online platforms and social media as effective tools to inform the public.
In interviews for the digital platforms study, several participants described insurance terminology as confusing and said they felt anxious using unfamiliar applications, with some fearing they might make a costly mistake.
Mr Al Arrayed noted that such barriers were ‘primarily psychological and informational, rather than demographic,’ adding that clearer, simple communication in the reader’s native language was necessary.
The studies also highlighted the role employers could play as a channel for reform, noting that structured onboarding through workplaces appeared to support adoption of digital insurance tools among current users.
Both papers argue that Bahrain’s healthcare reform could benefit from the country’s high Internet penetration and social media use for outreach.
Researchers pointed to comparable trust and literacy gaps identified in recent studies from Saudi Arabia and other GCC states, suggesting that many of the Gulf countries are navigating similar transitions in health financing.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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