IRI Armenia Poll Finds Strong Majorities Approve of Healthcare Quality and Support Compulsory Insurance, Resistance to More Taxes

Yerevan, Armenia – A new nationwide poll in Armenia by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows strong majorities of people approve of the quality of healthcare and support compulsory insurance but do not want to see more taxes to pay for it.

When asked about the quality of healthcare services they are receiving, 73% of Armenians said they were completely or somewhat satisfied.  

“Healthcare is one of the most important and personal issues for a nation to confront,” said Stephen Nix, IRI Regional Director for Eurasia. “Our data reveals that people are happy with the services they are receiving.”  

The survey also found that 75% support a compulsory health insurance system. Forty-two percent of Armenians believe such a system should be implemented right away while an additional 33% believe it should be installed in phases.  

Although there is strong support for compulsory health insurance, 58% of Armenians oppose paying additional taxes to fund such a program. 

“The poll finds a distinction between a desire for a new healthcare system and a willingness to pay for it with more taxes,” said Nix. “If compulsory insurance is going to be enacted in Armenia, the government will have to find a creative way to finance it.” 

Methodology  

The survey was conducted on behalf of International Republican Institute’s Center for Insights in Survey Research by Breavis (represented by IPSC LLC).​ Data was collected throughout Armenia between February 21 and February 25, 2022, through phone interviews, with respondents selected by random digit dialing (RDD) probability sampling of mobile phone numbers. The sample consisted of 1,524 permanent residents of Armenia older than the age of 18. It is representative of the population with access to a mobile phone, which excludes approximately 1.2% of adults. The sample has been weighted for 11 regions, age, gender, and community type according to the 2021 Yearbook of the Statistical Committee of Armenia. The margin of error does not exceed plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for the full sample. The response rate was 43%.  

The survey was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.