Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41811563›Full record

ArticleThe European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care2026

The value of social robots supporting informal care: a discrete choice experiment among informal caregivers.

Petra Baji, Dominik Golicki, László Gulácsi, Zsombor Zrubka, Tamás Haidegger, Elsa M R Marques, Anikó Vágvölgyi, Levente Kovács, Márta Péntek

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Article in The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Petra BajiMusculoskeletal Research Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. petra.baji@bristol.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2899-8557
Dominik GolickiDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7741-4760
László GulácsiHealth Economics Research Center, University Research and Innovation Center, Doctoral School of Innovation Management, Obuda University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9285-8746
Zsombor ZrubkaHealth Economics Research Center, University Research and Innovation Center, Doctoral School of Innovation Management, Obuda University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1992-6087
Tamás HaideggerAntal Bejczy Center for Intelligent Robotics, University Research and Innovation Center, Obuda University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1402-1139
Elsa M R MarquesMusculoskeletal Research Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1360-5677
Anikó VágvölgyiParexel International, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-7191-0437
Levente KovácsPhysiological Controls Research Center, University Research and Innovation Center, Obuda University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3188-0800
Márta PéntekHealth Economics Research Center, University Research and Innovation Center, Doctoral School of Innovation Management, Obuda University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9636-6012

Funding

Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovaciós Alap TKP2021-NKTA-36
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo elicit informal caregivers’ preferences and willingness to pay for using social robots to support informal care provision.

methodsWe conducted an exploratory online discrete choice experiment in 2024 with 400 informal caregivers in Hungary and 400 Poland. We used a D-efficient fractional design with 40 pairs of robot profiles blocked into four sets, randomly assigned to respondents. Robots were described by appearance, size, function, availability of remote monitoring, availability of a built-in emergency call system, and monthly cost. Responses were analysed using multinomial logit models, adjusting for caregivers’ and care recipients’ characteristics such as EQ-5D-5L and CarerQol scores.

resultsThe most valued robots were those helping with everyday tasks, followed by robots performing nursing tasks. Compared with robots helping with mobility, respondents were willing to pay, on average, 372 and 206 EUR more per month for such robots in Hungary and 402/182 EUR more in Poland. Caregivers were willing to pay monthly 119/94 EUR more for the option of remote monitoring and 124/70 EUR more for a built-in emergency call system. Medium-size and robot-like appearance was preferred, and animal-like robots were strongly disliked in both countries. Preferences varied by caregiver characteristics, and caregiving situations. Only 7% (Hungary) and 4% (Poland) would have not hired the chosen robots in real life.

conclusionOpenness to use robots in informal care was high in both countries, particularly for everyday and nursing tasks. Our findings provide valuable guidance for the design, development and implementation of assistive robots in home care.

Indexed as

CarerQolDiscrete choice experimentInformal careQuality of lifeRobotWillingness to pay

Identifiers

PMID41811563

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.