Using Discrete Choice Experiments to Measure the Preferences of Older People for Home Care Services in China

The global aging demographic trend has led to an increased demand for home care services among older people. We measured the preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) of older adults in China for home care services using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) design. A total of 496 valid responses from older adults were included. The analysis was performed using conditional logit and mixed logit models to estimate utility parameters, WTP, and uptake rates. The attributes for home care services included the following: home care service content, service quality, supervision, and feedback collection during service provision, and out-of-pocket payment. The findings indicated that respondents were willing to pay RMB 197.487 more per month for medical care services, RMB 76.227 more per month for higher quality services, and RMB 134.397 more for services with supervision. Improving these attributes could increase the likelihood of older adults using home care services by 29.33%. Policymakers should reduce the economic burden on older adults, enhancing service content as well as supervision and quality to improve the acceptability and sustainability of home care services.