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Parents' Willingness to Pay for Pediatric Weight Management Programs
Olivier Drouin1, Mona Sharifi1, Monica Gerber1
1Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics (O Drouin, M Gerber, C Horan, and EM Taveras); Harvard-Wide Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship (O Drouin and EM Taveras), Massachusetts General Hospital for Children; Department of Medicine (EJ Orav), Brigham and Women's Hospital; Department of Pediatrics (R Marshall), Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates; Department of Nutrition (EM Taveras), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Mass; Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics (O Drouin), Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Section of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics (M Sharifi), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.
Most parents want to continue pediatric weight management programs, but fewer will pay out-of-pocket. Programs with individualized health coaching increased willingness to pay (WTP) for continued care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern requiring effective management strategies.
- Parental engagement is crucial for the success of pediatric weight management interventions.
- Understanding parental willingness to pay (WTP) can inform program sustainability and accessibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental interest in continuing and willingness to pay (WTP) for pediatric weight management programs.
- To identify factors influencing parental WTP, including program type and demographic characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Parents of children (2-12 years) with overweight/obesity from the Connect for Health trial were surveyed.
- Two program arms were compared: enhanced primary care (EPC) and EPC plus individualized coaching (EPC+C).
- Multivariable regression analyzed WTP differences based on intervention arm, ethnicity, and satisfaction.
Main Results:
- 85% of parents were interested in continuing the program; 38% were willing to pay.
- Willingness to pay was higher in the EPC+C group (45%) compared to the EPC group (31%).
- Median WTP was $25/month; Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and higher satisfaction also predicted WTP.
Conclusions:
- While parental interest in continuing pediatric weight management is high, out-of-pocket payment remains a barrier for many.
- Individualized health coaching significantly enhances parental willingness to pay for sustained participation.
- Program design, including personalized support, is key to improving long-term engagement and potential cost recovery.