Willingness to Pay for Municipality Hospital Services in Rural Japan
Author Information
Author(s): Terashita Takayoshi, Muto Hiroshi, Nakamura Toshihito, Ogasawara Katsuhiko, Maezawa Masaji
Primary Institution: Hokkaido University
Hypothesis
What is the willingness to pay (WTP) of residents for municipality hospital services in rural Japan?
Conclusion
Residents of K town place a high valuation on their municipality hospital, with a median willingness to pay estimated at 39,484 yen.
Supporting Evidence
- The median WTP was estimated at 39,484 yen ($438.71).
- The total estimated WTP for the municipality hospital was 129,586,000 yen ($1,439,844).
- The response rate for the study was 83%.
Takeaway
People in K town really care about their local hospital and would pay a lot to keep it open.
Methodology
Participants were asked how much they would be willing to pay in taxes to maintain the municipality hospital for one year using open-ended questions in face-to-face interviews.
Potential Biases
There may be sampling and reporting biases due to the recruitment of participants by healthcare professionals.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and potential biases due to recruitment methods and participant characteristics.
Participant Demographics
The sample skewed towards elderly residents, with 40% over 70 years of age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
27,806-55,437 yen
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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