Factors Influencing Usage of Health Web Sites: An Empirical Study in Taiwan

Abstract

This study integrates social factors (human-message interactivity and human-human interactivity) and motivational factors (perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment) to explore the use of health Web sites. A survey of 467 users of health Web sites was conducted to validate the proposed model. The findings show that social factors significantly positively affect motivational factors. This study also confirms that motivational factors are critical mediators between social factors and Web use. This study emphasizes the importance of social and motivational factors in the progress towards designing and maintaining successful health Web sites. The findings may be used as theoretical bases for future research and can also offer empirical foresight to executives and managers of hospitals when incorporating and upgrading health Web sites.