Willingness to pay for poison control centers

• Published in: Journal of health economics Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 343 - 357
• Main Authors: Phillips, Kathryn A., Homan, Rick K., Luft, Harold S., Hiatt, Patricia H., Olson, Kent R., Kearney, Thomas E., Heard, Stuart E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.1997; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: Journal of Health Economics
• Subjects: Consumer attitudes; Cost analysis; Cost benefit analysis; Health care; Health Care Surveys - methods; Health economics; Health Services Accessibility; Hospital treatment; Hotlines - economics; Injuries; Injury prevention; Medical care; Models, Econometric; Poison Control Centers - economics; Poison Control Centers - utilization; Poisoning; Poisons; Preventive health care; Public goods; Public health; Regression Analysis; San Francisco; Statistical analysis; Studies; Taxes; Telephone hotlines; United States; Willingness to pay; San Francisco; United States; United States > US; I18; Injury prevention; Public goods; Willingness-to-pay; Cost analysis; Preventive health care
• ISSN: 0167-6296; 1879-1646
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-6296(96)00521-8

We used the willingness-to-pay (WTP) method to value the benefits of poison control centers when direct access was blocked, comparing WTP among: (1) blocked callers ( n = 396), (2) callers after access was restored ( n = 418), and (3) the general population ( n = 119). Mean monthly WTP was $6.70 (blocked callers), $6.11 (non-blocked callers), and $2.55 (general population). Blocked and non-blocked callers had a significantly higher WTP than general population respondents ( p < 0.001). We conclude that the WTP method measured benefits that are difficult to quantify; however, WTP surveys need to be carefully conducted to minimize bias. We discuss how this approach could be useful for other health care services.