Willingness to pay for cataract surgery in baiyin district, northwestern China

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To investigate willingness to pay for cataract surgery, and its associations, in Northwestern China.

Methods

Four hundred thirty-eight persons aged 50 years and above, diagnosed with cataract indicated for surgery, identified in an outreach screening program were included. Subjects were offered a willingness-to-pay interview for the maximal amount that the subjects would be willing to pay for a cataract surgery. Age, gender, literacy, education level, occupation, and annual household income were recorded.

Results

Among 328 (74.9%) subjects who completed the interview, 197 (60.1%) participants were willing to pay something for the cataract surgery (mean, 902.9 ± 856.7 renminbi[RMB], [US$ 145 ± 137]; median, 500RMB, US$ 78). Individuals with presenting visual acuity (PVA) in the worse eye ≤6/60 (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.2) and a high annual household incomes (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 0.9–4.6) were likely to be willing to pay for the surgery, as revealed in the regression models. Willingness to pay any amount for cataract surgery was more likely among literate persons (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0–2.4) and persons with non-agricultural occupation (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0–3.2).

Conclusions

The amount that subjects were willing to pay is significantly less than the current cost of cataract surgery (5000 RMB, US$320) in the area. Providing low-cost cataract surgery to patients in a financially sustainable manner is important to increase uptake of cataract surgery among rural residents in Northwest China.

KEYWORDS:

• Willingness to pay
• cataract surgery
• China

Disclosure statement

None of the following authors have any proprietary interests or conflicts of interest related to this submission.

Statement

The paper has not been published anywhere previously and that it is not simultaneously being considered for any other publication.

Additional information

Funding

The Project Vision Charity Foundation, Hong Kong.