Willingness-to-pay for pediatric cochlear implantation

Abstract

Objective: This paper presents the results of the first willingness-to-pay (WTP) study to be undertaken on cochlear implantation. It aims to measure the values parents place on the UK having a pediatric cochlear implantation (PCI) programme. Methods: Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of children from the Nottingham Pediatric Cochlear Implant programme, whom had been implanted for a period ranging from 1 month to 13 years. Parents willingness-to-pay for the UK to have a pediatric cochlear implantation programme were elicited using a bidding process question format and via a discrete choice question. To see if income was a significant determinant of willingness-to-pay an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was undertaken in the statistical package SPSS version 10. Results: Two hundred and sixteen parents were interviewed over the period July 2001–August 2002, representing over 130 h of interviewing. The mean and median willingness-to-pay values elicited were UK£ 127 and 50 per month, respectively (UK£ 2001/2002). Willingness-to-pay was positively related to income ( P<0.020). When the income constraint was removed, 99% of parents choose the implant over having the money the implant would cost to spend in some other way to benefit their child. Conclusions: Parents of implanted children were willing to pay substantial monthly amounts for pediatric cochlear implantation. Most parents saw no alternative to pediatric cochlear implantation that could improve their child’s quality of life to the same extent. Willingness-to-pay was sensitive to income as expected suggesting that the values elicited are both valid and influenced by a respondent’s budget constraint.