Assessment of the relationship between quality of life and willingness to pay for in vitro fertilization in patients undergoing treatment for infertility

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and willingness to pay (WTP) for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients undergoing treatment for infertility. Adult women (N = 86) in treatment for infertility completed a self-administered mail survey. The Short-Form 36 was used to measure QOL and the contingent valuation method was used to measure WTP. Mean WTP for IVF was $10,277 (SD = $13,210, median $8,000) and mean total QOL was 574.6 (SD = 145.7). There was no significant difference in QOL (p = 0.70) or WTP (p = 0.20) among patients in Stages 1, 2, and 3 of infertility treatment. QOL and WTP were negatively (r = −0.05), but not significantly (p = 0.65) correlated.

Citation

Stavinoha, T. and Barner, J. (2001), "Assessment of the relationship between quality of life and willingness to pay for in vitro fertilization in patients undergoing treatment for infertility", Farquhar, I., Summers, K. and Sorkin, A. (Ed.) Investing in Health: The Social and Economic Benefits of Health Care Innovation (Research in Human Capital and Development, Vol. 14), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 299-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0194-3960(01)14011-4