Kamran Bagheri Lankarani1, Sulmaz Ghahramani2, Najmeh Moradi3, Hadi Raeisi Shahraki4, Farhad Lotfi5, Behnam Honarvar1. 1. Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. 2. Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Suli.ghahraman@gmail.com. 3. Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. 5. Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at estimating the value of the general population's willingness-to-pay (WTP) for one quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) in Iran. METHODS: Using multistage randomized cluster sampling, we recruited and interviewed 651 adult residents of Shiraz, south Iran. The mean age of the interviewees was 43.9 ± 16.3 years, and 326 (50.1%) of them were male. To each interviewee, we presented one of the hypothetical health scenarios that were used in the European value of a QALY project. Questionnaires, which were validated for the Persian language, were administered in digitally-assisted format, and a gray block questionnaire was used for special cases. The data were then analyzed using STATA and SPSS. RESULTS: The overall mean value of payment for one QALY of respondents who expressed WTP was US$2847, which is equal to 0.57 of the GDP per capita of Iran's population. Under the end-of-life (terminal illness) scenario, this value was 13% higher than health-gain scenarios. WTP was also associated with high educational level, household income, and household expenditure. CONCLUSION: Our results provided a threshold range of WTP and insights into rigorous scientific decision making about healthcare technology for the future.
OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at estimating the value of the general population's willingness-to-pay (WTP) for one quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) in Iran. METHODS: Using multistage randomized cluster sampling, we recruited and interviewed 651 adult residents of Shiraz, south Iran. The mean age of the interviewees was 43.9 ± 16.3 years, and 326 (50.1%) of them were male. To each interviewee, we presented one of the hypothetical health scenarios that were used in the European value of a QALY project. Questionnaires, which were validated for the Persian language, were administered in digitally-assisted format, and a gray block questionnaire was used for special cases. The data were then analyzed using STATA and SPSS. RESULTS: The overall mean value of payment for one QALY of respondents who expressed WTP was US$2847, which is equal to 0.57 of the GDP per capita of Iran's population. Under the end-of-life (terminal illness) scenario, this value was 13% higher than health-gain scenarios. WTP was also associated with high educational level, household income, and household expenditure. CONCLUSION: Our results provided a threshold range of WTP and insights into rigorous scientific decision making about healthcare technology for the future.