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The value of informal care–a further investigation of the feasibility of contingent valuation in informal caregivers

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  • Claudine de Meijer
  • Werner Brouwer
  • Marc Koopmanschap
  • Bernard van den Berg
  • Job van Exel

Abstract

Including informal care in economic evaluations is increasingly advocated but problematic. We investigated three well‐known concerns regarding contingent valuation (CV): (1) the item non‐response of CV values, (2) the sensitivity of CV values to the individual circumstances of caring, and (3) the choice of valuation method by comparing willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) and willingness‐to‐accept (WTA) values for a hypothetical marginal change in hours of informal care currently provided. The study sample consisted of 1453 caregivers and 787 care recipients. Of the caregivers, 603 caregivers (41.5%) provided both WTP and WTA values, 983 (67.7%) provided at least one. Determinants of non‐response were dependent on the valuation method; primary determinants were education and satisfaction with amount of informal care provided. Caregivers' mean WTP (WTA) for reducing (increasing) informal care by 1 h was €9.13 (10.52). Care recipients' mean WTA (WTP) for reducing (increasing) informal care by 1 h was €8.88 (€6.85). Values were associated with a variety of characteristics of the caregiving situation; explanatory variables differed between WTP and WTA valuations. The differences between WTP and WTA valuations were small. Based on sensitivity CV appears to be a useful method to value informal care for use in economic evalations, non‐response, however, remains a matter of concern. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Claudine de Meijer & Werner Brouwer & Marc Koopmanschap & Bernard van den Berg & Job van Exel, 2010. "The value of informal care–a further investigation of the feasibility of contingent valuation in informal caregivers," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(7), pages 755-771, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:19:y:2010:i:7:p:755-771
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.1513
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    1. Emmanouil Mentzakis & Mandy Ryan & Paul McNamee, 2014. "Modelling Heterogeneity and Uncertainty in Contingent Valuation: an Application to the Valuation of Informal Care," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(1), pages 1-25, February.
    2. Norton, E.C., 2016. "Health and Long-Term Care," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 951-989, Elsevier.
    3. Kehl, Konstantin & Stahlschmidt, Stephan, 2013. "A new perspective on the economic valuation of informal care: The well-being approach revisited," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2013-035, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    4. Alain Paraponaris & Bérengère Davin & Pierre Verger, 2012. "Formal and informal care for disabled elderly living in the community: an appraisal of French care composition and costs," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 13(3), pages 327-336, June.
    5. Aidan R. Vining & David L. Weimer, 2013. "An assessment of important issues concerning the application of benefit–cost analysis to social policy," Chapters, in: Scott O. Farrow & Richard Zerbe, Jr. (ed.), Principles and Standards for Benefit–Cost Analysis, chapter 1, pages 25-62, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Arthur E. Attema & Werner B.F. Brouwer & Job Van Exel, 2014. "Your Right Arm For A Publication In Aer?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 52(1), pages 495-502, January.
    7. Renske Hoefman & Job Exel & Werner Brouwer, 2013. "How to Include Informal Care in Economic Evaluations," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 31(12), pages 1105-1119, December.
    8. Costa-Font, Joan & Vilaplana-Prieto, Cristina, 2024. "The Hidden Value of Adult Informal Care in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 17490, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Richard T. Carson, 2012. "Contingent Valuation: A Practical Alternative When Prices Aren't Available," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(4), pages 27-42, Fall.
    10. Emmanouil Mentzakis & Paul McNamee & Mandy Ryan & Matthew Sutton, 2012. "Valuing Informal Care Experience: Does Choice of Measure Matter?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 108(1), pages 169-184, August.
    11. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2013-035 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Jesús Martín-Fernández & Mª Isabel del Cura-González & Gemma Rodríguez-Martínez & Gloria Ariza-Cardiel & Javier Zamora & Tomás Gómez-Gascón & Elena Polentinos-Castro & Francisco Javier Pérez-Rivas & J, 2013. "Economic Valuation of Health Care Services in Public Health Systems: A Study about Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Nursing Consultations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-9, April.
    13. Ansgar Wübker & Sandra Zwakhalen & David Challis & Riitta Suhonen & Staffan Karlsson & Adelaida Zabalegui & Maria Soto & Kai Saks & Dirk Sauerland, 2015. "Costs of care for people with dementia just before and after nursing home placement: primary data from eight European countries," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(7), pages 689-707, September.

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