A community-based study of the willingness to pay associated with screening for diabetic retinopathy among type 2 diabetes in Kinmen, Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
In Taiwan, there were few population-based studies of WTP values related to DR screening among persons with type 2 diabetes. This community-based study was to explore the willingness- to-pay (WTP) values for screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) associated with varying degrees of DR among persons with type 2 diabetes in Kinmen, Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 725 eligible community-dwelling adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes received DR screening during 1999-2002 and then evaluated WTP values in 2003. Diagnosis of DR was performed by a panel of ophthalmologists using ophthalmoscopy and a 45-degree color retinal photographs to examine fundus after dilating pupils. WTP values were measured by discrete-choice method.


RESULTS
The 406 adults with type 2 diabetes participating in the WTP survey had a 56% response rate. Of 406 subjects, 265 (65.3%) said they would be willing to pay for DR screening to reduce blindness. The overall mean WTP value was New Taiwan Dollars 468.9 +/- 327.7 (US dollars 14.3 +/- 10.0). Age was borderline significant (p=0.07) related to WTP values. Those with severe stage DR had higher WTP values for screening than subjects with mild stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Degree of DR was the independent factor affecting WTP values in DR screening among community-dwelling adults with type 2 diabetes.
Shih
Hui-Chuan
HC
Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Armed Forced General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chou
Pesus
P
Chen
Shih-Jen
SJ
Liu
Jorn-Hon
JH
Lee
Fenq-Li
FL
Liu
Chi-Ming
CM
Tung
Tao-Hsin
TH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology