title: Willingness to pay per quality-adjusted life year for life-saving treatments in Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) value for life-saving treatments and to determine factors affecting the WTP per QALY value.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey with multistage sampling and face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  General population in the southern part of Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 600 individuals were included in the study. Only 554 (92.3%) responses were usable for data analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were asked for the maximum amount of WTP value for life-saving treatments by an open-ended question. EQ-5D-3L and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to estimate additional QALY.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amount of WTP values varied from 0 to 720,000 Baht/year (approximately 32 Baht=US$1). The averages of additional QALY obtained from VAS and EQ-5D-3L were only slightly different (0.872 and 0.853, respectively). The averages of WTP per QALY obtained from VAS and EQ-5D-3L were 244,720 and 243,120 Baht/QALY, respectively. As compared to male participants, female participants were more likely to pay less for an additional QALY (p=0.007). In addition, participants with higher household incomes tended to have higher WTP per QALY values (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study added another WTP per QALY value specifically for life-saving treatments, which would complement the current cost-effectiveness threshold used in Thailand and optimise patient access to innovative treatments or technologies.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand.
authors.forename: Khachapon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nimdet
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
authors.forename: Surachat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ngorsuraches
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018803:Models, Economic; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D013785:Thailand
keywords: contingent valuation; cost-effectiveness threshold; stated preference; willingness-to-Pay; willingness-to-pay per QALY