Objectives : This study examined how willingness to pay (WTP) concepts can be used to evaluate public health interventions that encourage voluntary actions to reduce health risk.
Methods: Homeowners with known exposure levels in an area of high residential radon exposure (Winnipeg, Manitoba) were surveyed to document actions taken and expenditures made to reduce radon exposure (revealed WTP). The 507 respondents were then re-surveyed to estimate what they would be prepared to do in hypothetical scenarios (contingent valuation WTP).
Results: Logistic regression analysis indicated that homeowners were only likely to have acted at exposure levels exceeding 1,100 Bq/m3, well above the 800 Bq/m3 recommended guideline. Respondents, however, indicated they were prepared to act at exposures of 700 Bq/m3. Those informed of the lower (150 Bq/m3) United States recommended action level were over twice as likely to express a positive WTP bid at exposures between the different national guidelines.
Conclusions: The Canadian guideline, as it has been implemented, has failed to guide health protection behavior. By applying economic valuation techniques, public health policies calling for voluntary actions can be evaluated, providing practical information for policy-makers.
Learning Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of a health guideline by collecting and analyzing willingness to pay data for actual and hypothetical exposure situations
Keywords: Environmental Health, Economic Analysis
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.