TY  - JOUR
AU  - Folkvord, Frans
AU  - Bol, Nadine
AU  - Stazi, Giacomo
AU  - Peschke, Lutz
AU  - Lupiáñez-Villanueva, Francisco
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/12/25
TI  - Preferences in the Willingness to Download an mHealth App: Discrete Choice Experimental Study in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e48335
VL  - 7
KW  - mHealth adoption
KW  - discrete choice task
KW  - mobile apps
KW  - self-monitoring
KW  - willingness
KW  - mobile health app
KW  - mobile app
KW  - mobile health
KW  - mHealth
KW  - adoption
KW  - mHealth tools
KW  - health care cost
KW  - effectiveness
KW  - mobile phone
AB  - 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: In this study, we investigated individuals’ preferences in the adoption of a health app. 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: 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: 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. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e48335
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/48335
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38145470
DO  - 10.2196/48335
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/48335
ER  -