A discrete choice experiment to examine the factors influencing consumers’ willingness to purchase health apps

BACKGROUND: The benefits of health apps can only be realized when consumers purchase them for use. Thus, it is important to understand what factors influence consumers’ willingness to purchase health apps. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of health app attributes and sociodemographic characteristics on consumers’ willingness to purchase health apps, and how the value of the health app attributes varies for individuals with different sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: A questionnaire-based discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted with a random sample of 561 adults. A standard logit regression was applied to assess the influence of health app attributes and sociodemographic characteristics on consumers’ willingness to purchase health apps, and marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) was calculated for each factor using regression coefficients. Interaction effects were also examined to determine how the value of health app attributes varies by sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Usefulness, ease of use, security and privacy, and attitudes of healthcare professionals toward consumers’ use of health apps were the attributes of health apps that positively influenced consumers’ willingness to purchase them. Conversely, smartphone storage consumption, mobile Internet data consumption, and app price negatively influenced consumers’ willingness to purchase the apps. For sociodemographic characteristics, being male, having a household size greater than three, having a monthly household income of HK$30,000 or more, having a lower education level (below diploma), having previously used health apps, and having previously purchased health apps were associated with a higher willingness to purchase health apps. CONCLUSIONS: Health app attributes that influenced consumers’ willingness to purchase the apps and populations that were less willing to purchase health apps were identified. Efforts should be made to improve health app attributes and enhance the promotion of health apps among these underserved populations.