Willingness to pay and preferences for mindfulness-based interventions among patients with chronic low back pain in the Hong Kong public healthcare sector.
M Zhu, P K H Mo, K Wang, H H M Lo, Y K Choi, S W Law, R W S Sit
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.12809/hkmj2311445 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with chronic low back pain in the Hong Kong public healthcare sector |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive behavioral therapy Low back pain |
| Key findings | Patients with chronic low back pain showed low willingness to pay for mindfulness-based interventions (mean HK$258.75 for an eight-session course). Higher pain scores, monthly family income over HK$30,000, high school education, higher treatment expenses, and stronger belief in MBIs were associated with greater willingness to pay. Patients preferred lower costs, greater improvements in pain relief and daily activities, and face-to-face delivery. |
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are effective for LBP management when combined with medication and physical therapy. An understanding of patients' willingness to pay (WTP) and preferences is needed to integrate MBIs into standard LBP care. We examined WTP and preferences for MBIs, as well as associated factors, among patients with chronic LBP in the Hong Kong public healthcare sector. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two Hong Kong public hospitals. We used the payment card method to assess patients' WTP for MBIs and performed a discrete choice experiment to examine patients' preferences for MBIs. Tobit regression was utilised to analyse factors associated with WTP for MBIs. Patients' relative preferences for MBIs were estimated through a mixed logit model. Mean WTP for an eight-session course of MBIs was HK$258.75±508.11. Higher pain scores, monthly family income >HK$30 000, high school education, higher treatment expenses, and stronger belief in MBIs were associated with greater WTP. Patients were more likely to choose MBIs with lower costs, greater improvements in pain relief and the ability to perform daily activities, and a face-to-face delivery mode. Patients with chronic LBP exhibited low WTP for MBIs. Strategies to improve education and awareness may enhance WTP; affordability and accessibility should be considered for individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The identified preferences provide insights for designing MBIs that align with patient needs. These findings offer valuable methodological references for other healthcare evaluations.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |