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Willingness-to-pay for pediatric cochlear implantation
T H Sach1, D K Whynes, C O'Neill
1School of Economics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. tracey.sach@nottingham.ac.uk
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
|December 23, 2003
Summary
Parents expressed significant willingness to pay for pediatric cochlear implantation (PCI) programs. Most parents valued PCI programs highly, indicating their importance for improving children's quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Cochlear implantation is a critical intervention for pediatric hearing loss.
- Assessing parental valuation of pediatric cochlear implantation (PCI) programs is essential for resource allocation and policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct the first willingness-to-pay (WTP) study for a pediatric cochlear implantation program in the UK.
- To quantify the monetary value parents place on establishing and maintaining a national PCI program.
Main Methods:
- Face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 216 parents of children in the Nottingham Pediatric Cochlear Implant program.
- Elicitation of WTP using bidding game and discrete choice questions.
- Analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine income's influence on WTP.
Main Results:
- Mean and median monthly WTP were UK £127 and £50, respectively.
- WTP was positively correlated with parental income (P<0.020).
- 99% of parents prioritized the implant over alternative child benefit expenditures when income constraints were removed.
Conclusions:
- Parents demonstrated substantial WTP for pediatric cochlear implantation services.
- High parental valuation underscores the perceived unique benefits of PCI for improving child quality of life.
- WTP sensitivity to income suggests the elicited values are valid and reflect budget constraints.