Willingness to pay for a cure in patients with chronic gout.
BACKGROUND
Gout is a chronic painful inflammatory arthritis. The authors interviewed patients with chronic stable gout to assess their hypothetical willingness to pay (WTP) to be cured of their gout.


METHODS
Patients with gout were asked how much money they would be willing to pay every month out of pocket or as a co-pay to cure their gout. To assess determinants of WTP amounts, the authors performed stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis, controlling for demographics, health status, and relative concern about gout.


RESULTS
Of the 78 patients, 70 (90%) were male, 54 (69%) were Caucasian, 21 (27%) were African American, and 32 (41%) had annual incomes < $25,000. The median WTP amount was $25 ($0, $75) per month, and the mean (s) was $52 ($74) per month (range, $0-$350); 23 (30%) patients were unwilling to pay any amount. Patients who rated their gout as their top health concern were willing to pay a median of $63 ($25, $100) per month. In multivariable analysis, gout as the top health concern, greater frequency of gouty attacks over the past 1 y, and younger age were significantly associated with WTP amounts (R(2) =0:19 ).


CONCLUSIONS
Many patients with chronic gout would be willing to pay money every month in perpetuity to be cured of their gout. Younger patients, patients whose main health concern is gout, and patients with frequent attacks are willing to pay the most.
Khanna
Dinesh
D
Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. dkhanna@mednet.ucla.edu
Ahmed
Mansoor
M
Yontz
Dustin
D
Ginsburg
Shaari S
SS
Tsevat
Joel
J
D002908:Chronic Disease; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D006073:Gout / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006074:Gout Suppressants