06 May Valuing Mobile Health: An Open-Ended Contingent Valuation Survey of a National Digital Health Program

This study explored consumers’ perspectives on the potential value of digital health technologies, particularly mobile health (mHealth), to promote well-being by examining their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for such health solutions. A contingent valuation study involving a UK-wide survey that asked participants to report open-ended absolute and marginal WTP or willingness-to-accept for the gain or loss of a hypothetical mHealth app, Healthy Connections, was developed. This study demonstrates that consumers value mHealth solutions that promote well-being, social connectivity, and health care control, but it is not universally embraced. For mHealth to achieve its potential, apps need to be tailored to user accessibility and health needs, and more understanding of what hinders frequent users of digital technologies and those with long-term conditions is required. This novel application of WTP in a digital health context demonstrates an economic argument for investing in upskilling the population to promote access and expedite uptake and utilization of such digital health and well-being apps.

Somers, C., Grieve, E., Lennon, M., Bouamrane, M. M., Mair, F. S., & McIntosh, E. (2019). Valuing mobile health: an open-ended contingent valuation survey of a National Digital Health Program. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(1), e3.