Title: The demand for assisting technologies in nursing and medical care: some comments

Authors: Uwe Fachinger

Addresses: Institute for Gerontology, University of Vechta, Driverstraße 23, D – 49377 Vechta, Germany

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to systematise fundamental economic aspects to explain the demand of private households for assisting technologies. The paper shows that previous discussions examined only parts of the problem and ignored relevant determinants. Therefore, some explanation is given for the low development of the market for assisting technologies. Summary results of this study may lead to the conclusion that the demand is low because: 1) willingness to pay is rather small for assisting technologies; 2) all necessities are included in the benefits of the statutory healthcare and long-term care insurance system; 3) products may have the status of luxuries. However, attempts to answer the question why the demand for assisting technologies is low and why still no market has been developed leads to the conclusion that explanations have to take into account additional factors such as affinity for technology and the willingness to pay.

Keywords: public health; ambient assisted living; AAL; nursing care; assisting technology; health economics; healthcare technology; medical care; economic impact; willingness to pay; health insurance; technology acceptance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2012.046725

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2012 Vol.3 No.2, pp.135 - 151

Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

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