JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Numerous mobile health apps are marketed globally with specific features including physical activity tracking, motivational feedback and recipe provision. It is important to understand which features individuals prefer and whether these preferences differ between consumer groups.

Objective:

First, to identify consumers’ most preferred features and rewards for a mobile app targeting healthy eating and physical activity. Second, to reduce numerous individual mobile health app features to a smaller number of key categories as perceived by consumers. Third, to investigate the impact of differences in consumers’ BMI, and self-efficacy on intention to use and willingness to pay for such an app. Finally, to identify characteristics of different target groups of consumers and their responses towards app features via cluster analysis.

Methods:

212 participants from France, Italy, the UK, and Germany were recruited online to answer questions about app features, motivation, self-efficacy, demographic and geographic factors. The app features in question had been generated from a fourteen-day co-creation session by a group of consumers from the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Results:

‘Home workout suggestions’, ‘exercise tips’ and ‘progress charts’ were the most preferred app features, while ‘gift vouchers’ and ‘shopping discounts’ were the most preferred rewards. ‘Connections with other communication apps’ was the least preferred feature and ‘charitable giving’ was the least preferred reward. Importantly, consumers’ positive attitude toward the ‘social support and connectedness’ app feature predicted willingness to pay for such an app. Differences in consumers’ health status, motivational factors, basic demographics and socio-economic status (SES) moderated these results and consumers’ intention to use and willingness to pay for such an app. Notably, younger and motivated consumers with more experience and knowledge about health apps indicated more positive attitudes and intention to use and willingness to pay for this type of app.

Conclusions:

The present study indicates that consumers tend to prefer app features which are activity-based and demonstrate progress. It also suggests a potential role for monetary reward to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. Moreover, the results highlight the role of consumers’ health status, motivational factors, and SES for predicting app usage. These results provide up-to-date, practical and pragmatic information for the future design and operation of mobile health apps.