Understanding demand for COVID-19 antibody testing

Marta Serra Garcia and Nora Szech
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Marta Serra-Garcia

No 140, Working Paper Series in Economics from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Department of Economics and Management

Abstract: We study individual demand for COVID-19 antibody tests in an incentivized study on a representative sample of the US population. Almost 2,000 participants trade off obtaining an athome test kit against money. At prices close to zero, 80 percent of individuals want the test. However, this broad support of testing falls sharply with price. Demand decreases by 19 percentage points per $10 price increase. Demand for testing increases with factors related to its potential value, such as age, increased length and strength of protective immunity from antibodies, and greater uncertainty about having had the virus. Willingness to pay for antibody tests also depends on income, ethnicity and political views. Black respondents show significantly lower demand than white and Hispanic respondents, and Trump-supporters demonstrate significantly lower demand for testing. The results suggest that charging even moderate prices for antibody tests could widen health inequalities.

Keywords: Coronavirus; COVID-19; Antibody Tests; Information Preferences; Beliefs; Uncertainty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D81 D91 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-hea
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Understanding Demand for COVID-19 Antibody Testing (2021)
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