Acceptability of and willingness to pay for using a smartphone-based vaccination application in a Vietnamese cohort

Abstract

BackgroundThe increasing accessibility of smartphone in Vietnam shows potential in using smartphone applications for vaccination management to improve compliance. However, the acceptability and financial feasibility of using this application in Vietnam have not yet been understood. This study measured the general perception of and willingness to pay (WTP) for using smartphone-based vaccination management applications and their associated factors in Vietnam.Subjects and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2016 in an urban vaccination clinic at the Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 429 adult participants who had received vaccinations or whose children were vaccinated. Sociodemographic characteristics and the acceptability of and WTP for using smartphone-based vaccination management applications were evaluated.ResultsAmong participants who used smartphone applications, 5% were aware of existing vaccination management applications, of whom 57.9% had previously used the applications. About 69.6% of participants believed that the applications were necessary, 93.7% of them were also willing to use the applications, and 79.1% were willing to pay 92.7 thousand Vietnamese dong (VND) for the applications on average. Participants who were older, unemployed, earned more household income, and having knowledge about functions and benefits of vaccination were less likely to use the vaccination applications. Participants who brought their children to get vaccinated at younger age and with higher level of education were willing to pay more for vaccination applications.ConclusionHigh levels of acceptability of, willingness to use, and WTP for smartphone-based vaccination management applications among Vietnamese participants are reported. Increased education and awareness about the benefits of vaccination and vaccination management applications through community health workers might increase the feasibility of implementing such applications and perception toward their usage among young adult smartphone users. In addition, building a stronger relationship with health care providers at hospitals might improve the application’s visibility and adoption.

Smartphone Use and Willingness to Pay for HIV Treatment-Assisted Smartphone Applications among HIV-Positive Patients in Urban Clinics of Vietnam

“…Our findings confirmed the potential for the use of mHealth in assisting patients' treatment adherence in resource-limited settings [22][23][24]. In the context of Vietnam, a small percentage of respondents who were using health-related apps was comparable to that of a survey on smartphone-based vaccination application (5%) [25]. However, the proportion of participants willing to pay for an app in this study was higher than the previous studies related to vaccination (79.1%) [25], ART adherence support (63.5%) [15], and smoking cessation (26.8%) [26].…”

“…In the context of Vietnam, a small percentage of respondents who were using health-related apps was comparable to that of a survey on smartphone-based vaccination application (5%) [25]. However, the proportion of participants willing to pay for an app in this study was higher than the previous studies related to vaccination (79.1%) [25], ART adherence support (63.5%) [15], and smoking cessation (26.8%) [26]. Regarding the amount of money, the average amount for WTP found in this study was higher than that reported in a prior ART adherence-support application (VND 51,000 or United States dollar (USD) 2.5 per month) [15].…”

Mobile Health Interventions to Improve Health Behaviors and Healthcare Services among Vietnamese Individuals: A Systematic Review

“…Six studies intended to improve health behavior changes, including treatment adherence [13,14], mental health care [15], and smoking cessation [11,12,16]. Eight studies intended to improve healthcare services, including medical records management [17], health monitoring and support [9,18,19], vaccination management [10], patient-provider communication [8], and follow-up care [20,21].…”

Willingness to Pay for a Coronavirus Vaccine and Its Associated Determinants in Lebanon

“…This method is a standard and accepted technique of stated preferences for capturing maximum WTP and was originally developed as a method for valuing environmental benefits. 25,[36][37][38] It includes 2 steps. First, the outlining of the efficacy of hypothetical vaccine was estimated with an efficacy rate of about 99%.…”