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Willingness to Pay for a Cure in Patients with Chronic Gout

Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, dkhanna{at}mednet.ucla.edu, Institute for the Study of Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Mansoor Ahmed, MD

Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Dustin Yontz

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

Shaari S. Ginsburg, BA

Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Joel Tsevat, MD, MPH

Institute for the Study of Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

Introduction. 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. Patients and 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 (R² =0:19 ). Conclusion. 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.

Key Words: gout • willingness to pay • cost-benefit analysis • health-related quality of life.

This version was published on July 1, 2008

Medical Decision Making, Vol. 28, No. 4, 606-613 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0272989X08315252


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