Benefits of preventing a death associated with child maltreatment: evidence from willingness-to-pay survey data.

Abstract

Although assessing the costs of an intervention to prevent child maltreatment is straightforward, placing a monetary value on benefits is challenging. Respondents participating in a statewide random-digit-dialed survey were asked how much they would be willing to pay to prevent a death caused by child maltreatment. Our results suggested that society may value preventing a death from child maltreatment at $15 million. If a child maltreatment intervention is effective enough to save even 1 life, then in many cases, its benefits will outweigh its costs.