Predictors of willingness to pay for physical activity of socially vulnerable groups in community-based programs

Willingness to pay (WTP) is used to assess individuals’ value attribution to health-related quality of life interventions. Little is known about predictors of WTP for sport and physical activity in socially vulnerable groups in community-based physical activity (CBHEPA) programs. This study addresses the questions: What is the WTP for sport and physical activity of participants in CBHEPA programs, expressed in WTP(money) and WTP(time)? Which factors predict WTP(money) and WTP(time)? From the literature, predictors for WTP for sport and physical activity were identified: (1) personal and socio-economic predictors: income, education, age, and ethnic origin, (2) health-related predictors: perceived health, life satisfaction, sense of coherence, self-efficacy, (3) sport and physical activity-related predictors: duration and frequency of participation, leisure-time sport or physical activity, sport club membership, enjoyment, and membership fee. Data were gathered for WTP(money) and WTP(time) (n = 268) in 19 groups in an evaluation study of CBHEPA programs. Ordered probit was used for analyses. WTP(money) was a monthly average of €9.6. WTP(time) was on average 17.6 min travel time. Income was found as predictor for both WTP(money) and WTP(time). Other predictors for WTP(money) were: duration and frequency of program participation, enjoyment, and (former) sport club membership. Low income and younger age were found as predictors for WTP(time). Predictors for WTP(money) are related to income and sport and physical activity experiences, for WTP(time) to income and age. Short-term program satisfaction is probably more decisive for WTP(money) than long-term perspectives of improving health-related quality of life.