Bhagyashree Katare1, Shuoli Zhao2, Joel Cuffey3, Maria I Marshall1, Corinne Valdivia4. 1. Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA. 2. Department of Agricultural Economics, University Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. 3. Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. 4. Division of Applied Social Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Describe preferences toward COVID-19 testing features (method, location, hypothetical monetary incentive) and simulate the effect of monetary incentives on willingness to test. DESIGN: Online cross-sectional survey administered in July 2020. SUBJECTS: 1,505 nationally representative U.S. respondents. MEASURES: Choice of preferred COVID-19 testing options in discrete choice experiment. Options differed by method (nasal-swab, saliva), location (hospital/clinic, drive-through, at-home), and monetary incentive ($0, $10, $20). ANALYSIS: Latent class conditional logit model to classify preferences, mixed logit model to simulate incentive effectiveness. RESULTS: Preferences were categorized into 4 groups: 34% (n = 517) considered testing comfort (saliva versus nasal swab) most important, 27% (n = 408) were willing to trade comfort for monetary incentives, 19% (n = 287) would only test at convenient locations, 20% (n = 293) avoided testing altogether. Relative to no monetary incentives, incentives of $100 increased the percent of testing avoiders (16%) and convenience seekers (70%) that were willing to test. CONCLUSION: Preferences toward different COVID-19 testing features vary, highlighting the need to match testing features with individuals to monitor the spread of COVID-19.
PURPOSE: Describe preferences toward COVID-19 testing features (method, location, hypothetical monetary incentive) and simulate the effect of monetary incentives on willingness to test. DESIGN: Online cross-sectional survey administered in July 2020. SUBJECTS: 1,505 nationally representative U.S. respondents. MEASURES: Choice of preferred COVID-19 testing options in discrete choice experiment. Options differed by method (nasal-swab, saliva), location (hospital/clinic, drive-through, at-home), and monetary incentive ($0, $10, $20). ANALYSIS: Latent class conditional logit model to classify preferences, mixed logit model to simulate incentive effectiveness. RESULTS: Preferences were categorized into 4 groups: 34% (n = 517) considered testing comfort (saliva versus nasal swab) most important, 27% (n = 408) were willing to trade comfort for monetary incentives, 19% (n = 287) would only test at convenient locations, 20% (n = 293) avoided testing altogether. Relative to no monetary incentives, incentives of $100 increased the percent of testing avoiders (16%) and convenience seekers (70%) that were willing to test. CONCLUSION: Preferences toward different COVID-19 testing features vary, highlighting the need to match testing features with individuals to monitor the spread of COVID-19.