Predictors of willingness to pay for physical activity of socially vulnerable groups in community-based programs

• Published in: SpringerPlus Vol. 4; no. 1; p. 527
• Main Authors: Herens, Marion C., van Ophem, Johan A. C., Wagemakers, Annemarie M. A. E., Koelen, Maria A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 19-09-2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science; Economics of Consumers and Households; Economics of Consumers and Households Group; Economie van Consumenten en Huishoudens; Gezondheid en Maatschappij; Health and Society; Humanities and Social Sciences; Leerstoelgroep Economie van consumenten en huishoudens; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Urban Economics; WASS; Sport and physical activity; Health-related quality of life; Willingness to pay; Community-based; Socially vulnerable groups
• ISSN: 2193-1801; 2193-1801
• DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-1336-5

Willingness to pay (WTP) is used to assess individuals’ value attribution to health-related quality of life interventions. Little is known about predictors of WTP for sport and physical activity in socially vulnerable groups in community-based physical activity (CBHEPA) programs. This study addresses the questions: What is the WTP for sport and physical activity of participants in CBHEPA programs, expressed in WTP
money
and WTP
time
? Which factors predict WTP
money
and WTP
time
? From the literature, predictors for WTP for sport and physical activity were identified: (1) personal and socio-economic predictors: income, education, age, and ethnic origin, (2) health-related predictors: perceived health, life satisfaction, sense of coherence, self-efficacy, (3) sport and physical activity-related predictors: duration and frequency of participation, leisure-time sport or physical activity, sport club membership, enjoyment, and membership fee. Data were gathered for WTP
money
and WTP
time
(n = 268) in 19 groups in an evaluation study of CBHEPA programs. Ordered probit was used for analyses. WTP
money
was a monthly average of €9.6. WTP
time
was on average 17.6 min travel time. Income was found as predictor for both WTP
money
and WTP
time
. Other predictors for WTP
money
were: duration and frequency of program participation, enjoyment, and (former) sport club membership. Low income and younger age were found as predictors for WTP
time
. Predictors for WTP
money
are related to income and sport and physical activity experiences, for WTP
time
to income and age. Short-term program satisfaction is probably more decisive for WTP
money
than long-term perspectives of improving health-related quality of life.