Sirin Natanant. Assessment of willingness-to-pay per quality adjusted life year (QALY) using blindness scenario. Master's Degree(Pharmacy Administration). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Assessment of willingness-to-pay per quality adjusted life year (QALY) using blindness scenario
Abstract:
This study aims to examine the level of Willingness-to-Pay per Quality-
Adjusted Life Year (WTP/QALY) among the general Thai populations, under
hypothetical scenarios involving the prevention and treatment of blindness.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 399 respondents aged from 15 to 65
years old from 9 Thai provinces including Bangkok. Besides the demographic data,
utility values of the current health state, unilateral blindness, and bilateral blindness
were measured using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Time Trade Off (TTO)
methods. The WTP amounts for treatment of unilateral and bilateral blindness were
examined using a bidding game and an open ended approach. Then, WTP/QALY in
prevention and treatment of blindness scenarios was calculated using 3% discount rate.
The study indicated that the level of WTP for blindness treatment was
significantly higher than that for blindness prevention. The level of WTP for
prevention and treatment of unilateral blindness was significantly less than that for
bilateral blindness. According to the univariate analysis, the WTP/QALY amounts
were 113,471.95 Baht, 136,900.79 Baht, 184,716.56 Baht, and 285,331.00 Baht for
prevention of bilateral blindness, prevention of unilateral blindness, treatment of
bilateral blindness, and treatment of unilateral blindness respectively. On the other
hand, the result from multivariate analysis found that WTP/QALY amount in the
treatment of blindness was estimated at 70,571 Baht, after adjusting for gender,
household income, and household location. However, it was found that the WTP
amount for blindness prevention was not related to the number of QALY gained after
adjusting for other variables.
This preliminary study finds that the WTP/QALY amount among the Thai
population is lower than the amount recommended by the World Health Organization
(WHO) which is defined as three times of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita.
Therefore, further studies examining the WTP/QALY amount for use as a ceiling
threshold in Thailand to facilitate health care allocation decision making are needed