Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Dec 30, 2020
Date Accepted: Mar 30, 2021
The relation between perceived risks of using mobile-health applications and the intention to use these among the older adults in the Netherlands: cross-sectional study
ABSTRACT
Background:
In light of the increasing health service demand by older people and the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health is commonly viewed to offer a pathway to provide health services for older adults safely and affordably, and enabling them to self-management their health while healthcare systems are struggling. However, older people are particularly reluctant to adopt digital health technologies such as mobile health (mHealth) tools. Potential risks, such as sensitive information leakage or incorrect health recommendations, may keep older adults away from mHealth usage.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived risks of using mHealth apps and the intention to use these apps among older adults.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was designed in which a questionnaire was used for collecting data from participants aged 65 years and above. Perceived risk was divided into four constructs: Privacy risk, Performance risk, Legal concern, and Trust. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine the associations between the perceived risk constructs and the intention to use mHealth applications.
Results:
Linear regression per perceived risk factor showed that each of the four constructs is significantly associated with the intention to use mobile medical apps among older adults (adjusted for age, sex, education, and health status). Performance risk (beta= -0.266 ; P = <.001), Legal concern (beta= -0.124 ; P = .007), and Privacy risk (beta= -0.099 ; P = .029) are negatively related to Intention to use mHealth while Trust (beta= 0.350 ; P = <.001) is positively associated to Intention to use mHealth.
Conclusions:
Performance risk, Legal concern, and Privacy risk as perceived by older adults may substantially and significantly decrease their Intention to use mHealth. Trust may significantly and positively affect this intention. Healthcare professionals, designers of mHealth applications, and policymakers can use these findings to diminish performance risks, and tailor campaigns and apps to address legal and privacy concerns, so as to promote mHealth uptake and health care access for older adults, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Copyright
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