Analyzing the moderating effect of financial inclusion on the relationship between deprivation and health among rural Nigerian youth

Relative deprivation hypothesis suggests that inequalities are associated with poor health. Health research also established a relationship between health and financial inclusion. However, the moderating effect of financial inclusion on the deprivation-health nexus has not been given the expected attention in literature. This study therefore investigates the moderating effect of financial inclusion on the deprivation-health nexus in rural Nigeria. Regression analysis reveals that deprivations were associated with health and that formal financial services impact positively on health and deprivation. Thus policies that increase access to formal financial services are likely to deliver significant returns on investment with regards to public health.