Exploring determinants of consumer preferences and willingness-to-pay for insecticide treated bed nets before intervention in a poor rural Tanzania

Abstract

Objective: To explore commodity and human factors associated with willingness to pay (WTP) and consumer preferences for insecticides treated bed nets (ITNs) prior an intervention Design: A two-week-interval test re-test cross-sectional contingent valuation study Setting: The study was conducted in Kisarawe District between September and November 2001 Results:Multivariate analyses showed nuisance of mosquito bites, age of the respondent, knowledge of malaria transmission, self rated health status, prior possession of a bed net, and self rated ability to pay to be significantly associated with maximum open-ended WTP (p<0.005). While, a recent experience with a malaria episode, nuisance of mosquito bites, and the price of an ITN were associated with the probability of giving an affirmative response for the discrete choice question (p<0.005). ITNs characteristics have different relative importance in determining consumer's preferences of and procurement decisions for an ITN. Respondents were willing to pay lower average prices compared to prices presented to them suggesting inability to pay for the market ITN prices. Conclusion: WTP studies conducted in communities before the interventions are implemented, could be useful in providing local information for understanding the local market structure, designing behavioural change messages and establishing affordable local prices and levels of subsidies for promoting potential demand for ITNS.