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Why Low Adult Immunization? An inquiry into the case of Hepatitis B Vaccine in the Peri-Urban Areas of Kathmandu Valley

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  • Raut, Nirmal Kumar
  • Shrestha, Devendra Prasad

Abstract

We attempt to analyze the reasons to low adult immunization from the willingness to pay perspective in the peri-urban setting of Kathmandu Valley where some private health facilities had organized Hepatitis B Vaccine Health camps in the recent past. We reason the existence of regulated Hepatitis B Vaccine market in Nepal and thereby utilize an open ended question to assess the willingness to pay of an unimmunized adult. We justify the application of the two-part model in the study and further show that the socio-economic and demographic variables do not play significant role in explaining the low adult immunization except for age and employment. The result further reveals that people do not care to pay more for vaccination at present unless they apprehend the risk of suffering from disease with the disease specific symptoms or some history of chronic diseases. We argue that people exhibit time inconsistent - present biased preferences in immunization practices. The small preventive costs incurred to them on immunization today appear very large relative to the economic benefits realized tomorrow. There still exists asymmetric information so far as understanding the importance of the vaccine and its right/proper usage are concerned; a strong case of informing people to perceive vaccination as a preventive lifesaving shot thus becomes essential.

Suggested Citation

  • Raut, Nirmal Kumar & Shrestha, Devendra Prasad, 2011. "Why Low Adult Immunization? An inquiry into the case of Hepatitis B Vaccine in the Peri-Urban Areas of Kathmandu Valley," MPRA Paper 61711, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jan 2015.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:61711
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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