Factors influencing internet usage for health purposes

Abstract

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to analyse the simultaneous effect of intention, attitude, knowledge, injunctive norm, descriptive norm, facility access, perceived Internet health information, hedonic motivation, utilitarian motivation, and perceived threat of non-communicable diseases (NCD) on Internet usage for health purposes.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data were collected through a survey. The respondents of the survey are 369 Jakarta residents. Multiple regression analysis was conducted.FindingsInternet usage for health purposes is significantly affected by intention, knowledge, descriptive norm, and the perceived threat of NCD. Internet usage for health purposes is not influenced by attitude, facility access, perceived Internet health information, hedonic and utilitarian motivation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was conducted only in Jakarta. It also employed a purposive sampling technique. Future research should be conducted in other locations and used a probability sampling technique.Practical implicationsTo improve the level of Internet usage for health purposes, it is essential to increase the public’s intention to use the Internet for health purposes, their knowledge on Internet usage for health purposes, and their awareness of the dangers of NCD. It is also important to persuade the community influential leaders/persons to use the Internet for health purposes.Originality/valueThis study is the first to develop and test an Internet usage for health purposes model that involves intention, attitude, knowledge, injunctive norm, descriptive norm, facility access, perceived Internet health information, hedonic motivation, utilitarian motivation, and perceived threat of NCD.