Consumers' Willingness to Pay for eHealth and Its Influencing Factors: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Digital Health
• Consumer Behavior

Background:

• eHealth offers significant potential but involves substantial costs.
• Measuring the benefits of eHealth is crucial to justify implementation costs.
• Willingness to pay (WTP) is a key metric for assessing perceived consumer benefits of eHealth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing literature on WTP for eHealth.
• To identify factors influencing consumer WTP for various eHealth services.
• To understand the economic value consumers place on digital health interventions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched major databases (PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, EconLit, PsycINFO) up to April 2022.
• Conducted random-effects meta-analyses for WTP values and meta-regression for influencing factors.

Main Results:

• WTP for eHealth varied widely: US $0.88–$191.84 (one-time) and US $5.25–$45.64 (monthly).
• Higher WTP associated with higher GDP per capita, more college-educated respondents, and specific eHealth modalities (medical devices, apps, synchronous communication).
• WTP varied significantly based on measurement methods (e.g., dichotomous choice, payment scale) and evaluation timing (ex ante vs. ex post).

Conclusions:

• WTP for eHealth is highly variable, influenced by population demographics, eHealth modality, and measurement techniques.
• Lower WTP in certain segments may indicate access disparities, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
• Findings inform eHealth design and underscore the importance of methodological rigor in WTP assessments.