IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aka/soceco/v34y2012i2p293-311.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Preferences of Hungarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of health care services — result of a discrete choice experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Petra Baji

    (Corvinus University of Budapest Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment Research Centre Budapest Hungary
    Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands
    Center for Public Affairs Studies Foundation Budapest Hungary)

  • Milena Pavlova

    (Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands)

  • László Gulácsi

    (Corvinus University of Budapest Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment Research Centre Budapest Hungary
    Center for Public Affairs Studies Foundation Budapest Hungary)

  • Wim Groot

    (Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands
    Maastricht University Topinstitute Evidence-Based Education Research (TIER) Maastricht The Netherlands)

Abstract

In 2010, a household survey was carried out in Hungary among 1037 respondents to study consumer preferences and willingness to pay for health care services. In this paper, we use the data from the discrete choice experiments included in the survey, to elicit the preferences of health care consumers about the choice of health care providers. Regression analysis is used to estimate the effect of the improvement of service attributes (quality, access, and price) on patients’ choice, as well as the differences among the socio-demographic groups. We also estimate the marginal willingness to pay for the improvement in attribute levels by calculating marginal rates of substitution. The results show that respondents from a village or the capital, with low education and bad health status are more driven by the changes in the price attribute when choosing between health care providers. Respondents value the good skills and reputation of the physician and the attitude of the personnel most, followed by modern equipment and maintenance of the office/hospital. Access attributes (travelling and waiting time) are less important. The method of discrete choice experiment is useful to reveal patients’ preferences, and might support the development of an evidence-based and sustainable health policy on patient payments.

Suggested Citation

  • Petra Baji & Milena Pavlova & László Gulácsi & Wim Groot, 2012. "Preferences of Hungarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of health care services — result of a discrete choice experiment," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 34(2), pages 293-311, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aka:soceco:v:34:y:2012:i:2:p:293-311
    Note: The study is financed by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program, Theme 8 Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities, Project ASSPRO CEE 2007 (Grant Agreement no. 217431). The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the authors and it in no way represents the views of the Commission or its services.
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.akademiai.com/content/940n76q15w46r0l1/fulltext.pdf
    Download Restriction: subscription
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emily Lancsar & Jordan Louviere, 2008. "Conducting Discrete Choice Experiments to Inform Healthcare Decision Making," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 661-677, August.
    2. Milena Pavlova & Wim Groot & Godefridus Merode, 2005. "An Application of Rating Conjoint Analysis to Study the Importance of Quality-, Access- and Price-attributes to Health Care Consumers," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 267-286, September.
    3. Balabanova, Dina & McKee, Martin, 2002. "Understanding informal payments for health care: the example of Bulgaria," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 243-273, December.
    4. Atanasova, Elka & Pavlova, Milena & Velickovski, Robert & Nikov, Bogomil & Moutafova, Emanuela & Groot, Wim, 2011. "What have 10 years of health insurance reforms brought about in Bulgaria? Re-appraising the Health Insurance Act of 1998," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(2), pages 263-269.
    5. Anna Merino, 2003. "Eliciting consumers preferences using stated preference discrete choice models: Contingent ranking versus choice experiment," Economics Working Papers 705, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    6. Anna Merino, 2003. "Eliciting consumers preferences using stated preference discrete choice models: Contingent ranking versus choice experiment," Working Papers, Research Center on Health and Economics 705, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    7. Thijs Schoot & Milena Pavlova & Elka Atanasova & Wim Groot, 2017. "Preferences of Bulgarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of healthcare services—result of a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 47-71, January.
    8. Elka Atanasova & Milena Pavlova & Emanuela Moutafova & Todorka Kostadinova & Wim Groot, 2012. "Patient payments and the empirical analysis of consumer demand for hospital services: An application for Bulgaria," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 34(2), pages 313-338, June.
    9. Pavlova, Milena & Groot, Wim & van Merode, Frits, 2000. "Appraising the financial reform in Bulgarian public health care sector: the health insurance act of 1998," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 185-199, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. V. Meusel & E. Mentzakis & P. Baji & G. Fiorentini & F. Paolucci, 2023. "Priority setting in the German healthcare system: results from a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 411-431, September.
    2. Óscar Brito Fernandes & Márta Péntek & Dionne Kringos & Niek Klazinga & László Gulácsi & Petra Baji, 2020. "Eliciting preferences for outpatient care experiences in Hungary: A discrete choice experiment with a national representative sample," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Vikas Soekhai & Esther W. Bekker-Grob & Alan R. Ellis & Caroline M. Vass, 2019. "Discrete Choice Experiments in Health Economics: Past, Present and Future," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 201-226, February.
    4. Petra Baji & Milena Pavlova & László Gulácsi & Miklós Farkas & Wim Groot, 2014. "The link between past informal payments and willingness of the Hungarian population to pay formal fees for health care services: results from a contingent valuation study," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(8), pages 853-867, November.
    5. Thiptaiya Sydavong & Daisaku Goto & Keisuke Kawata & Shinji Kaneko & Masaru Ichihashi, 2019. "Potential demand for voluntary community-based health insurance improvement in rural Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A randomized conjoint experiment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Angeli, Federica & Jaiswal, Anand Kumar & Shrivastava, Saumya, 2022. "Integrating poverty alleviation and environmental protection efforts: A socio-ecological perspective on menstrual health management," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    7. Thijs Schoot & Milena Pavlova & Elka Atanasova & Wim Groot, 2017. "Preferences of Bulgarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of healthcare services—result of a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 47-71, January.
    8. Nikolina Dukić Samaržija, 2019. "Determining the Marginal Willingness to Pay for the Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Croatia: A Best-Worst Scaling Approach," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 41(4), pages 433-447, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nikolina Dukić Samaržija, 2019. "Determining the Marginal Willingness to Pay for the Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Croatia: A Best-Worst Scaling Approach," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 41(4), pages 433-447, December.
    2. Elka Atanasova & Milena Pavlova & Emanuela Moutafovа & Todorka Kostadinova & Wim Groot, 2015. "Patient charges for health services: the opinions of healthcare stakeholders in Bulgaria," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 232-245, July.
    3. Neustadt, Ilja & Zweifel, Peter, 2018. "Redistribution in Whose Favor? Preferences with Regard to Nationality and Type of Beneficiaries," MPRA Paper 119465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Carolina González & Nancy Johnson & Matin Qaim, 2009. "Consumer Acceptance of Second‐Generation GM Foods: The Case of Biofortified Cassava in the North‐east of Brazil," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 604-624, September.
    5. Neustadt, Ilja & Zweifel, Peter, 2011. "Income redistribution: how to divide the pie?," MPRA Paper 35427, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Ilja Neustadt & Peter Zweifel, 2010. "Is the Welfare State Sustainable? Experimental Evidence on Citizens’ Preferences for Redistribution," SOI - Working Papers 1003, Socioeconomic Institute - University of Zurich.
    7. Arsenijevic, Jelena & Pavlova, Milena & Groot, Wim, 2015. "Out-of-pocket payments for health care in Serbia," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(10), pages 1366-1374.
    8. De Menezes, Antonio Gomes & Vieira, J. C., 2008. "Willingness to pay for airline services attributes: evidence from a stated preferences choice game," European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, ISTIEE, Institute for the Study of Transport within the European Economic Integration, issue 39, pages 1-13.
    9. Nikolina Dukic Samarzija & Andrea Arbula Blecich & Luka Samarzija, 2018. "The Paradigm Of Patient-Centered Care In The Public Health Decision-Making," Economic Thought and Practice, Department of Economics and Business, University of Dubrovnik, vol. 27(2), pages 503-516, december.
    10. Tambor, Marzena & Pavlova, Milena & Rechel, Bernd & Golinowska, Stanisława & Sowada, Christoph & Groot, Wim, 2014. "Willingness to pay for publicly financed health care services in Central and Eastern Europe: Evidence from six countries based on a contingent valuation method," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 193-201.
    11. Vikas Soekhai & Esther W. Bekker-Grob & Alan R. Ellis & Caroline M. Vass, 2019. "Discrete Choice Experiments in Health Economics: Past, Present and Future," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 201-226, February.
    12. Petra Baji & Milena Pavlova & László Gulácsi & Miklós Farkas & Wim Groot, 2014. "The link between past informal payments and willingness of the Hungarian population to pay formal fees for health care services: results from a contingent valuation study," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(8), pages 853-867, November.
    13. Ilja Neustadt, 2011. "Do Religious Beliefs Explain Preferences for Income Redistribution? Experimental Evidence," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 57(4), pages 623-652, December.
    14. Pfarr Christian & Ulrich Volker, 2011. "Discrete-Choice-Experimente zur Ermittlung der Präferenzen für Umverteilung," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 62(3), pages 232-262, December.
    15. Danyliv, Andriy & Groot, Wim & Gryga, Irena & Pavlova, Milena, 2014. "Willingness and ability to pay for physician services in six Central and Eastern European countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 72-82.
    16. Kennedy Otieno, Pambo, 2013. "Analysis of Consumer Awareness and Preferences for Fortified Sugar in Kenya," Research Theses 243455, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    17. Tambor, Marzena & Pavlova, Milena & Golinowska, Stanisława & Sowada, Christoph & Groot, Wim, 2013. "The formal–informal patient payment mix in European countries. Governance, economics, culture or all of these?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 284-295.
    18. Fitsum Dechasa & Feyera Senbeta & Dawit Diriba Guta, 2021. "Economic value of wetlands services in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(1), pages 29-53, January.
    19. Carías Vega , Dora & Alpízar, Francisco, 2011. "Choice Experiments in Enviromental Impact Assessment: The Toro 3 Hydroelectric Project and the Recreo Verde Tourist Center in Costa Rica," RFF Working Paper Series dp-11-04-efd, Resources for the Future.
    20. Garima Taneja & Barun Deb Pal & Pramod K. Joshi & Pramod K. Aggarwal & N. K. Tyagi, 2014. "Farmers’ Preferences for Climate-Smart Agriculture: An Assessment in the Indo-Gangetic Plain," Working Papers id:5806, eSocialSciences.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    discrete choice experiment; service valuation; health care; user fees; Hungary;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aka:soceco:v:34:y:2012:i:2:p:293-311. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Kriston, Orsolya (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://akademiai.hu/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.