Psychological barriers to take-up of healthcare and child support benefits in the Netherlands

Simonse, O.; Knoef, M.G.; Dillen, L.F. van; Dijk, W. van; Dijk, E. van (2023)

Article / Letter to editor

We empirically test an integral model for healthcare and child support benefits take-up using a probability
sample of the Dutch population (N = 905). To examine how different psychological factors, in conjunction,
explain take-up, we apply model averaging with Akaike’s Information Criterion (AICC). For both types of
benefits, people’s perceptions of eligibility best explain take-up. For healthcare benefits, take-up also relates
to perceptions of need. Exploratory analyses suggest that for healthcare benefits but not for child support
benefits, executive functions, self-efficacy, fear of reclaims, financial stress, and welfare stigma explain
perceived eligibility. We find no support for knowledge, support, and administrative burden as explanatory
factors in take-up. We discuss the results in relation to the Capability Opportunity Motivation Behaviour
(COM-B) model for developing behavioural change interventions.

• All authors: Simonse, O.; Knoef, M.G.; Dillen, L.F. van; Dijk, W. van; Dijk, E. van
• Date: 2023-07-06
• Journal: Journal of European Social Policy
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 353 - 372
• DOI: doi:10.1177/09589287231164343
• Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09589287231164343