Willingness to Pay for Cervical Cancer Vaccines Among Female Secondary School Teachers in Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract

Cervical cancer is preventable using vaccines given to adolescents in three doses. The affordability of these vaccines and people’s willingness to pay (WTP) could affect the uptake of the vaccines, especially in developing countries. The study aimed to determine the willingness to pay for the vaccines and identify the factors associated with different levels of WTP among the participants. A cross-sectional study of 377 female teachers in the Enugu metropolis was undertaken between July and October 2017. A structured pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilized for the collection of data. Willingness to pay was determined by the contingent valuation method utilizing the bidding game technique to estimate the maximum amount each participant would pay for the three doses of the HPV vaccine. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The average monthly income of the participants was 152.18 USD (₦56307.91), with a range of 5.41-2162.16 USD (₦2,000 – 800,000). A considerable proportion (74.3%) of the respondents was willing to pay out of pocket for the vaccine. The average maximum willingness to pay for the three doses of the bivalent vaccine was 15USD, far below 63USD, which was the lowest cost for the three doses of the vaccine in Nigeria. Small family size (P<0.05) and high husband’s monthly income (P<0.05) were significantly associated with increased willingness to pay for cervical cancer vaccine by the participants. In conclusion, the willingness to pay for the cervical cancer vaccine among the participants was high but at a lower average cost than it currently goes for in Nigeria.