PMS55 - Evaluating The Degree To Which Ability To Pay And Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hrqol) Influence Willingness To Pay (Wtp) In Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure what matters most in WTP for a treatment, the patients’ perception of their health status, their ability to pay, or a combination of both. 395 US patients diagnosed with either psoriasis (n=151) or psoriatic arthritis (n=247) completed a questionnaire as part of a broader survey of treatment of psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis in the US. The questionnaire included the EQ-5D-5L instrument and accompanying VAS. Patients were additionally asked to indicate by reference to the EQ-5D VAS scale the amount of money per month they would be willing to pay for treatments that would improve their health status by 10 points, retain their current health and prevent a decline in health status by 10 points. Annual household income information was also reported by patients. Patients were split into 3 equal groups based on their VAS. Household income was a better predictor of WTP for a treatment; those patients with an annual income of less than $25000 were willing to pay the least (p<0,001), whereas patients with an annual household income over $75000 would pay most (p<0,001). Patients within the lowest VAS segment were prepared to pay significantly more for an improvement in their health status than patients within the other segments (p<0,003). No significant differences were noted between groups to either retain health status or avoid health decline. For predicting WTP for an improvement in health status, a combination of low yearly income (< $25000) and the EQ-5D VAS was the best (sig < 0.001); WTP for a 10 VAS point improvement = $142 + (-$39,9*Low Income) + (-$0,7*VAS score). Both ability to pay and health status are valid predictors of willingness to pay for a treatment. Yet ability to pay is a better overall predictor of willingness to pay than HRQoL.