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Maryam Moeeni, Shekoofeh sadat Momahhed, Shirin Nosratnejad, Saeed Karimi. Households’ Willingness to Pay for Dental Insurance: Application of Open-ended Question Method. Hakim 2016; 19 (3) :163-169
URL: http://hakim.tums.ac.ir/article-1-1737-en.html

Maryam Moeeni^1,2(PhD), Shekoofeh sadat Momahhed³ (MSc), Shirin Nosratnejad⁴ (PhD), Saeed Karimi^2* (PhD)

1 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Health Management and Economics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
3MSc, School of Health Management and information Sciences, Isfahan university of medical sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

Objective: Access to dental insurance is related to the utilization of more dental services and better oral and dental health. The current study aimed at addressing the 2 following questions: how much are the premium households willing to pay for dental insurance, and which factors are associated with their willingness to pay for this insurance coverage.
 
Method: In the current survey study, data were collected through a self-reporting questionnaire based on the contingent valuation method. The open-ended question method was applied to elicit willingness to pay in a sample of 385 respondents attending Isfahan dental clinics, Iran, in 2015. The linear regression approach was used to address factors related to willingness to pay for dental insurance. Data analysis was performed using Stata version 11.
 
Result: The median and 5% trimmed mean of willingness to pay for dental insurance per person per month was $US 2.74 and 51.10, respectively. The result of regression analysis indicted that the subjects older than 40 revealed significantly less willingness to pay for dental insurance. No significant association was found between willingness to pay for dental insurance and variables of households’ health status, households’ economic status, as well as households’ demographic characteristics.
 
Conclusions: From a policy point of view, willingness to pay can be used as a guide to set a premium for dental insurance. Almost all potential factors made no contribution to willingness to pay. Thus, in order to expand this insurance coverage, government policies should be adopted to improve people awareness about oral and dental health.
 
Keywords: Contingent Valuation; Willingness to Pay; Open-ended Question Method; Dental Insurance; Household
 

 Moeeni M, Momahhed Sh, Nosratnejad Sh , Karimi S. Households’ Willingness to Pay for Dental Insurance:Application of Open-ended Question Method. Hakim Health Sys Res 2016; 19(3): 163 – 169

 
*Corresponding Author: Department of Management of Healthcare Services, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar-Jerib Ave., Isfahan, IR Iran. Phone number:031-37925182, Fax:031-36684799, Email: karimi@mng.mui.ac.ir