Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Sep 1, 2025
Date Accepted: Apr 22, 2026
Patients’ mHealth Apps Usage and Data Privacy, Security and Confidentiality Concerns: An Exploratory Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The Technology adoption model (TAM) offers a potential framework for elucidating the relationships between data privacy or security concerns and behavioural intention, perceived usefulness (PU), and perceived ease of use (PEOU) of mHealth apps, particularly for patients’ self-care management.
Objective:
This study applies the TAM and the psychosociocultural framework in understanding data privacy and security concerns and their influencing factors among patients using mHealth apps for self-care management in Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting patients using mHealth apps for self-care from various provinces in Saudi Arabia. Research instruments were developed based on the components of two theories; the psychosociocultural framework and TAM, which were then piloted, validated and distributed to participants via Google Forms. Linear regression models were performed to test the hypothesised relationships.
Results:
ROverall, 567 patients using mHealth apps participated in the study. Slightly more than one-third (38.2%) of the participants expressed a high level of concerns regarding data privacy and security, with significant predictors including gender, education and age. Income levels, experience, being an active or inactive user, and type of self-care activities had no influence on data privacy and security concerns. All the TAM dimensions, including PU, PEOU and behavioural intention to use mHealth apps were negatively affected by greater concerns regarding data security, privacy and confidentiality.
Conclusions:
Specific demographic factors and concerns regarding data security and privacy influence patients’ PU, PEOU and behavioural intention to use mHealth apps for self-care management. Targeting the age, education and gender-based differences regarding the usage of mHealth apps. Healthcare providers and policymakers may consider age, education and gender-based differences when developing strategies to improve the adoption of mHealth apps among the Saudi patient population.
Citation
Request queued. Please wait while the file is being generated. It may take some time.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.