Characteristics of respondents and willingness to pay (WTP) for carrier screening for deafness genes
| Variable | Values | % (numbers) | Mean WTP (£), (numbers) | Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *For this test “no possibility” and “very low possibility” were grouped together, giving a mean willingness to pay of £35.00. | ||||
| Knowledge of deafness | ||||
| Hearing status | Normal hearing | 94.2 (98) | 43 (90) | Insufficient variation |
| Mild hearing loss | 1.0 (1) | 20 (1) | ||
| Moderate hearing loss | 0 | – | ||
| Deaf | 0 | – | ||
| Other (partial deafness, no hearing aid) | 1.9 (2) | 10 (2) | ||
| Are you aware of any member of your family being born deaf? | No | 92.3 (96) | 43 (88) | Insufficient variation |
| Yes | 3.8 (4) | 28 (4) | ||
| Don't know | 1 (1) | 30 (1) | ||
| Do you know anyone who was born deaf? | No | 72.1 (75) | 45 (72) | t=1.54, p=0.130 |
| Yes | 25.0 (26) | 31 (21) | ||
| Perceptions of chance of having a deaf child | ||||
| What do you think is your possibility of having a deaf child? | No possibility | 4.8 (5) | 52 (5) | F=72.3*, p=0.001 |
| Very low possibility | 30.8 (32) | 32 (32) | ||
| Low possibility | 44.2 (46) | 44 (41) | ||
| Medium possibility | 10.6 (11) | 48 (9) | ||
| High possibility | 0 (0) | – | ||
| Very high possibility | 0 (0) | – | ||
| Attitudes towards serum screening | ||||
| Do you think that you will have the 16 week blood test for spina bifida/Down syndrome in this pregnancy? | No | 14.4 (15) | 28 (11) | F=67.44, p=0.001 |
| Don't know | 20.2 (21) | 38 (21) | ||
| Yes | 60.6 (63) | 47 (59) | ||
| Socioeconomic characteristics | ||||
| Age (grouped responses) | 20 and under | 9.6 (10) | 56 (10) | F=51.68, p=0.001 |
| 21–25 | 24 (25) | 47 (22) | ||
| 26–30 | 42.3 (44) | 39 (42) | ||
| 31–35 | 20.2 (21) | 37 (17) | ||
| 36 and over | 2.9 (3) | 23 (3) | ||
| Household income (before tax) | Less than £6000 | 8.7 (9) | 37 (9) | χ2=5.88, p=0.318 |
| £6001–£10 000 | 5.8 (6) | 28 (6) | ||
| £10 001–£15 000 | 9.6 (10) | 60 (10) | ||
| £15 001–£20 000 | 15.4 (16) | 32 (14) | ||
| £20 001–£25 000 | 11.5 (12) | 24 (10) | ||
| More than £25 001 | 45.2 (47) | 48 (42) | ||