JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

This work describes the development of a European-wide online survey that sought opinions regarding different digital health technologies, in order to better understand user needs as a predictor of user acceptance. The study was part of the Smart & Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive Systems (SHAPES, 2023) Innovation Action platform project that was funded by the European Commission.

Objective:

This research sought to identify factors that are likely to impact the user acceptance of health technologies. In this context, this study also sought to make recommendations that could reduce the risk of users rejecting digital health technologies.

Methods:

The survey instrument describes the use of digital health solutions through four digital story videos that describe the lifestyle of an older person whilst highlighting how the symptoms of a health condition (e.g., diabetes, heart failure) affect daily activities. This innovative survey includes questions which focus on three categories that surround technology adoption, namely – 1) user acceptance, 2) digital inclusion, and 3) the societal impact of technology.

Results:

There have been a total of 229 respondents across different countries and from a wide range of different background and educational levels. This research explored the user acceptance of the digital technologies for managing the different specific health conditions. Overall, it was found that user acceptance was highest for the Smartphone Health App. It was found that the majority of participants believed that widespread adoption of these technologies will reduce the (financial and human) cost of healthcare. We also explored factors that may reduce motivation to engage with digital health such as user concerns regarding the security and privacy of personal data.

Conclusions:

Overall, this research indicates that whilst there are many benefits to be gained from using assistive technology in the home, understanding the multiple user (centric) focused barriers that remain is essential to enable widespread acceptance and the digital inclusiveness of smart home technology. Many responses focused on the digital knowledge requirements of effectively using a smart-home setup, which suggests that older users may need training and ongoing support to be able to gain the optimal benefits of incorporating digital health into their homes. This highlights the increasingly important roles and the unique digital health capabilities of health and care staff across all disciplines. Importantly, the considered unique knowledge captured from users enables sustainable decision-making on care for all individuals, including those previously excluded from the benefits of digital technologies.