JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Advances in mobile technologies and public needs have resulted in the emergence of mobile health (mHealth) services. Despite the potential benefits of mHealth applications, older people face challenges and barriers to adopt them.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to understand older people’s perception of mHealth services and find out the barriers older people face in the initial adoption of mHealth applications.

Methods:

This paper consists of two studies. In Study 1, questionnaires and interviews based on the literature review were carried out to uncover older people’s perception of mHealth services. Study 2 was a workshop helping older people to trial mHealth Apps and find out the barriers they faced in the initial adoption period. The interviews and workshop were audiotaped and transcribed. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis technique were used.

Results:

‘Access to technology’ and ‘perceived relative advantage’ were found as important factors for initial adoption, and ageing factors (including ‘generation gap’) created barriers. Older people’s ‘perceived usefulness’ of mHealth services is associated with lifestyle compatibility and information quality. Based on the synthesis of these results, design suggestions were proposed, including Technical Improvement, Free Trial, Information Clarification and Participatory Design. They will help inform the design of mHealth services to benefit older people.

Conclusions:

The perceptions of mHealth services of older people were investigated; the barriers older people may meet in the initial adoption stage were identified. Design suggestions were proposed to help develop more acceptable mHealth services for a wider population.