OBJECTIVES: Running 2012-2015, ‘delivering assisted living lifestyles at scale’ (dallas) was a large-scale intervention examining how digital health can be used for preventative care, to promote well-being, and improve people lifestyles. Using contingent valuation (CV), this study investigated general UK population value for mobile health (mHealth) lifestyle apps seeking to improve an individual’s sense of the 6Cs (connectedness, control, choice, collaboration, community and contribution) for future inclusion in the new NHS digital agenda. Specifically, can these be delivered at scale and whether they suit daily life.

METHODS: A UK-wide survey was used to ask participants to report their absolute and marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) or willingness-to-accept (WTA) the gain or loss of a new hypothetical mHealth app, ‘healthy connections’ with the aim of eliciting their direct preferences. This is regarded as an indicator and measure of the demand for the good. This provides a direct valuation for the app which could be used within a cost benefit analysis (CBA).

RESULTS: In 2015, both a UK-representative sample (n=1697) and a dallas-like sample (representative of existing, older and, in some cases, more deprived communities involved in the wider dallas intervention) (n=302) were surveyed. This CV study revealed a positive valuation of the app across both cohorts. Absolute WTP of£196 per annum for the general UK population cohort, £162 for the dallas-like sample and for marginal WTP, a value of £160 the UK population sample and £151 stated by the dallas-like cohort.

CONCLUSIONS: This paper highlights that there is potential value in mhealth solutions and also demonstrates that in order to reach this potential, their delivery must centre on the individual’s needs. Whilst certain traits may make some more accepting or less receptive, continual advancements and future success will be down to the adaptability of the technology to the individual and not the other way round.