Valuation of the economic benefits of human papillomavirus vaccine in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
The study aims to apply the contingent valuation method to elicit the willingness-to-pay (WTP), and measure the value of a statistic life (VSL), for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 512 questionnaires were completed on women aged 20 to 55 years with at least one daughter, during March through May 2007. The respondents' WTP for the vaccines was elicited by double-bounded binary-choice questions under two scenarios: one was to protect themselves from cervical cancer (CC) and the other was for their daughter(s). The WTP was modeled as a function of the respondents' knowledge score, attitudes toward CC and HPV vaccine, the vaccination outcome scenarios, and individual characteristics. A log-normal survival model was constructed and the maximum-likelihood method was used for estimation.


RESULTS
The median regression-adjusted WTP was estimated at US$1098 to US$1233 (US$913-1004) for vaccinating the daughter (mother); and the VSL was estimated at approximately US$0.65 to US$4.09 (US$0.56-3.16) million for vaccinating the daughter (mother).


CONCLUSIONS
The study results provided important evidences on the monetary value women placed on a HPV vaccine, and the differential benefits between vaccinating the women and their daughters.
Liao
Chih-Hsien
CH
School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
Liu
Jin-Tan
JT
Pwu
Raoh-Fang
RF
You
San-Lin
SL
Chow
Ines
I
Tang
Chao-Hsiun
CH
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D009679:Nuclear Family; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D013624:Taiwan; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000191:economics*; D055815:Young Adult
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines