Search

Background and Aims: This study aims to assess individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) for a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine in Iran, focusing on key determinants influencing vaccine acceptance. Utilizing the contingent valuation method (CVM), we aim to provide insights into the economic and socio‐cultural factors shaping WTP in Iran. Methods: We conducted face‐to‐face surveys with 468 participants in Tehran province using purposive sampling. We analyzed demographic characteristics, perspectives on HIV/AIDS, and financial considerations alongside participants' WTP. Statistical analyses, including maximum likelihood estimation, identified factors influencing WTP. Mean WTP values were calculated to quantify the economic valuation of an HIV vaccine. Results: Higher education and monthly income significantly correlated with increased WTP, while gender, age, marital status, and health insurance showed no substantial impact. The mean WTP was 12,590.83 to 12,599.63 thousand Rials in different models, both showing statistically significant WTP values. Conclusion: Higher education and income levels are key determinants of WTP for an HIV vaccine in Iran. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to enhance vaccine accessibility and acceptance in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsory military service, due to its timing in the lives of men (at a young age, which is the key period for increasing human capital) and its length (in many cases, about a year and a half to two years), implies a significant cost (explicit or implicit) for them. Individual costs incurred as a result of compulsory military service is an important aspect to consider when measuring the economic and social costs of enforcing conscription. Compulsory military service has been a part of Iranian government policy since 1925. Accordingly, an attempt to estimate the cost for men in Iran is the main subject of this paper. We will estimate the willingness of men to pay for exemption from compulsory military service based on the dichotomous choice contingent valuation model (One-and-One-Half Bounded approach). The mean of willingness to pay is estimated at 1.61 billion Rials (38,000 USD) while the median of willingness to pay is 1.64 billion Rials. A calculation of the median of willingness to pay for sub-groups of respondents shows that individuals with an income of more than 70 million Rials (1670 USD) per month have the highest median of willingness to pay, followed by those with a Ph.D. degree, and finally, undergraduates are individuals with the lowest median of willingness to pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]