Employees' willingness to pay to prevent influenza.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify employees' preferences, as measured by willingness to pay, to prevent influenza in themselves and in their child and adult household members and to examine factors associated with willingness to pay.


METHODS
Prospective observational cohort study of a convenience sample of employees from 3 large US employers. Participants had at least 1 child (< or = 17 years) living in their household for at least 4 days per week.


METHODS
Each month from November 2007 to April 2008, employees completed Web-based surveys regarding acute respiratory illness in their household. In the final survey, employees were presented with descriptions of influenza and questions regarding their willingness to pay to prevent influenza. Factors associated with willingness to pay were examined using multivariate ordinary least squares regression analysis of the log of willingness to pay.


RESULTS
Among 2006 employees, 31.3% were female, the mean age was 41.7 years, 85.3% were of white race/ethnicity, and the mean household size was 4.0. Employees' median (mean) willingness to pay to prevent influenza was $25 ($72) for themselves, $25 ($82) for their adult household members, and $50 ($142) (P <.01) for children. However, influenza vaccination rates were approximately equal for children (27.5%), employees (31.5%), and other adult household members (24.5%). This finding may be explained by barriers such as cost, dislike of vaccinations, and disagreement with national influenza vaccination recommendations, which were significantly associated with lower willingness to pay for prevention of influenza (P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Employees expressed a stronger preference to prevent influenza in their children than in themselves or other household members; however, modifiable barriers depress vaccination rates.
Johnston
Stephen S
SS
Thomson Reuters, Washington, DC, USA.
Rousculp
Matthew D
MD
Palmer
Liisa A
LA
Chu
Bong-Chul
BC
Mahadevia
Parthiv J
PJ
Nichol
Kristin L
KL
D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D007252:Influenza Vaccines