Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name:  Ole Bonnichsen
Author-Name-First: Ole
Author-Name-Last: Bonnichsen
Author-Email: ole@foi.dk
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen
Title:  Elicitation of Preferences for Improvements in Ostomy Pouches – A Discrete Choice Experiment
Abstract:  This paper attempts to examine and measure ostomates’ preferences for improvements in
ostomy pouches. Described are the study design, elicitation procedure and resulting
preference structure of the Swedish ostomate sample. The method used to elicit the
preferences is a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), where respondents are asked to choose
between alternatives in choice sets. Each alternative is comprised of a number of attributes
relating to the adhesive, filter and flexibility of ostomy pouches. The choice between
alternatives made by the respondent implies an implicit trade-off between the attributes and
allows for the estimation of individuals’ Willingness to Pay (WTP) for the attributes of
ostomy pouches when cost is included as an attribute. The data consists of 254 ostomates
responding to the survey. The respondents have positive WTP for all improvement attributes
presented to them in the survey, with strongest preferences for reducing the number of
leakages. The DCE utilised in the survey performs well in terms of reliability and validity of
the obtained results. The results suggest that since reducing leakages is the most important
attribute for the respondents when making their choices, emphasis should be placed on this
attribute when decisions are made as to the allocation of scarce health care resources within
research and development aimed at improving ostomy pouches.
Length:  10 pages
Creation-Date:  2010-05
File-URL: http://okonomi.foi.dk/workingpapers/WPpdf/WP2010/WP_2010_02_elicitation_of_preferences.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Number: 2010/2
Classification-JEL: 
Keywords: Discrete Choice Experiment, stated preferences, WTP
Handle: RePEc:foi:wpaper:2010_02