Understanding Use Intention of mHealth Applications Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) Model in China

Yancong Zhu, Zhenhong Zhao, Jingxian Guo, Yanna Wang, Chengwen Zhang, Jiayu Zheng, Zheng Zou () and Wei Liu ()
Additional contact information
Yancong Zhu: School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Zhenhong Zhao: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Jingxian Guo: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Yanna Wang: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Chengwen Zhang: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Jiayu Zheng: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Zheng Zou: Stanford Center at Peking University, Stanford University, Beijing 100871, China
Wei Liu: Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the healthcare industry, especially public health resources and resource allocation. With the change in people’s lifestyles and increased demand for medical and health care in the post-pandemic era, the Internet and home healthcare have rapidly developed. As an essential part of Internet healthcare, mobile health (mHealth) applications help to fundamentally address the lack of medical resources and meet people’s healthcare needs. In this mixed-method study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 users in China (mean age = 26.13, SD = 2.80, all born in China) during the pandemic, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT-2) mode, and identified four dimensions of user needs in mHealth scenarios: convenience, control, trust, and emotionality. Based on the interview results, we adjusted the independent variables, deleted the hedonic motivation and the habit, and added the perceived trust and perceived risk as the variables. Using a structural equation model (SEM), we designed the questionnaire according to the qualitative results and collected data from 371 participants (above 18 years old, 43.9% male) online to examine the interrelationships these variables. The results show that performance expectancy (β = 0.40, p < 0.001), effort expectancy (β = 0.40, p < 0.001), social influence (β = 0.14, p < 0.05), facilitating condition (β = 0.15, p < 0.001), and perceived trust (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) had positive effects on use intention. Perceived risk (β = −0.31, p < 0.001) harmed use intention, and price value (β = 0.10, p > 0.5) had no significant effects on use intention. Finally, we discussed design and development guidelines that can enhance user experience of mHealth applications. This research combines the actual needs and the main factors affecting the use intention of users, solves the problems of low satisfaction of user experience, and provides better strategic suggestions for developing mHealth applications in the future.

Keywords: mHealth; mobile applications; user research; UTAUT-2; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3139/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3139/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3139-:d:1064605

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().