Preferences in the Willingness to Download an mHealth App: Discrete Choice Experimental Study in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands.
adoption
discrete choice task
effectiveness
health care cost
mHealth
mHealth adoption
mHealth tools
mobile app
mobile apps
mobile health
mobile health app
mobile phone
self-monitoring
willingness
Journal
JMIR formative research
ISSN: 2561-326X
Titre abrégé: JMIR Form Res
Pays: Canada
ID NLM: 101726394
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
25 Dec 2023
25 Dec 2023
Historique:
received:
19
04
2023
accepted:
31
10
2023
revised:
12
10
2023
medline:
25
12
2023
pubmed:
25
12
2023
entrez:
25
12
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Despite the worldwide growth in mobile health (mHealth) tools and the possible benefits for both patients and health care providers, the adoption of mHealth is low, and only a limited number of studies have examined the intention to download mHealth apps. In this study, we investigated individuals' preferences in the adoption of a health app. We conducted a discrete choice experimental study in 3 countries (Spain: n=800, Germany: n=800, and the Netherlands: n=416) with 4 different attributes and levels (ie, price: €1.99 vs €4.99 [a currency exchange rate of €1=US $1.09 is applicable] vs for free, data protection: data protection vs no information, recommendation: patients' association vs doctors, and manufacturer: medical association vs pharmaceutical company). Participants were randomly assigned. For the analyses, we used the conditional logistic model separately for each country. The results showed that price and data protection were considered important factors that significantly increased the probability to download an mHealth app. In general, the source of the recommendation and the manufacturer affected the probability to download the mHealth app less. However, in Germany and the Netherlands, we found that if the app was manufactured by a pharmaceutical company, the probability to download the mHealth app decreased. mHealth tools are highly promising to reduce health care costs and increase the effectiveness of traditional health interventions and therapies. Improving data protection, reducing costs, and creating sound business models are the major driving forces to increase the adoption of mHealth apps in the future. It is thereby essential to create trustworthy standards for mobile apps, whereby prices, legislation concerning data protection, and health professionals can have a leading role to inform the potential consumers.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Despite the worldwide growth in mobile health (mHealth) tools and the possible benefits for both patients and health care providers, the adoption of mHealth is low, and only a limited number of studies have examined the intention to download mHealth apps.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we investigated individuals' preferences in the adoption of a health app.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted a discrete choice experimental study in 3 countries (Spain: n=800, Germany: n=800, and the Netherlands: n=416) with 4 different attributes and levels (ie, price: €1.99 vs €4.99 [a currency exchange rate of €1=US $1.09 is applicable] vs for free, data protection: data protection vs no information, recommendation: patients' association vs doctors, and manufacturer: medical association vs pharmaceutical company). Participants were randomly assigned. For the analyses, we used the conditional logistic model separately for each country.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The results showed that price and data protection were considered important factors that significantly increased the probability to download an mHealth app. In general, the source of the recommendation and the manufacturer affected the probability to download the mHealth app less. However, in Germany and the Netherlands, we found that if the app was manufactured by a pharmaceutical company, the probability to download the mHealth app decreased.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
mHealth tools are highly promising to reduce health care costs and increase the effectiveness of traditional health interventions and therapies. Improving data protection, reducing costs, and creating sound business models are the major driving forces to increase the adoption of mHealth apps in the future. It is thereby essential to create trustworthy standards for mobile apps, whereby prices, legislation concerning data protection, and health professionals can have a leading role to inform the potential consumers.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38145470
pii: v7i1e48335
doi: 10.2196/48335
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
e48335Informations de copyright
©Frans Folkvord, Nadine Bol, Giacomo Stazi, Lutz Peschke, Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 25.12.2023.