Abstract
BackgroundMobile health applications (mHealth apps) have created innovative service channels for patients with chronic diseases. These innovative service channels require physicians to actively use mHealth apps. However, few studies investigate physicians’ participation in mHealth apps.ObjectiveThis study aims to empirically explore factors affecting physicians’ usage behaviors of mHealth apps. Based on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and mHealth apps features, we propose a research model including altruism, cognitive trust, and online ratings.MethodsWe collected data from physicians who have used mHealth apps and conducted a factor analysis to verify the convergence and discriminative effects. We used a hierarchical regression method to test the path coefficients and statistical significance of our research model. In addition, we adopted bootstrapping approach and further analyzed the mediating effects of behavioral intention between all antecedent variables and physicians’ usage behavior. Finally, we conducted three robustness analyses to test the validity of results and tested the constructs to verify the common method bias.ResultsOur results support the effects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and altruism on the behavioral intentions of physicians using mHealth apps. Moreover, facilitating conditions and habits positively affect physicians using mHealth apps through the mediating effort of behavioral intention. Physicians’ cognitive trust and online rating have significant effects on their usage behaviors through the mediating efforts of behavioral intention.ConclusionsThis study contributes to the existing literature on UTAUT2 extension of physicians’ acceptance of mHealth apps by adding altruism, cognitive trust, and online ratings. The results of this study provide a novel perspective in understanding the factors affecting physicians’ usage behaviors on mHealth apps in China and provide such apps’ managers with an insight into the promotion of physicians’ active acceptance and usage behaviors.
Highlights
Mobile health applications have created innovative service channels for patients with chronic diseases
Our results support the effects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and altruism on the behavioral intentions of physicians using Mobile health (mHealth) apps
This study contributes to the existing literature on UTAUT2 extension of physicians’ acceptance of mHealth apps by adding altruism, cognitive trust, and online ratings
Summary
Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) have created innovative service channels for patients with chronic diseases. These innovative service channels require physicians to actively use mHealth apps. Participants of mHealth apps include patients and professional physicians, but prior studies little consider physicians’ acceptance and usage behaviors of mHealth apps [4]. Wu et al BMC Health Services Research (2022) 22:24 types of users, including patients and physicians, can publish and access health information anytime and anywhere through mHealth apps [5, 6]. Patients who conduct health self-management with physicians’ guidance can enable patient-physician partnerships and empower their healthcare by integrating professional knowledge and other patients with similar diseases experiences [9, 10]. Exploring factors on physicians’ acceptance of mHealth apps is meaningful and greatly improves the effective engagement with mHealth apps [11]
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