Abstract
BackgroundCaregiving responsibility can change caregivers’ lives; modify their emotions; and make them feel frustrated, fearful, and nervous, thereby imposing physical and mental stress. Caregiving-related mobile apps provide a platform for obtaining valuable and trusted information, connecting more easily with other caregivers, monitoring medications, and managing appointments, and assessing health requirements and conditions of care receivers. Such apps also incorporate valuable resources that address care for the caregivers. Despite the potential benefits of caregiving-related apps, only a limited number of caregivers have adopted and used them. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to explore the important factors that affect caregivers’ intentions to integrate related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. MethodsUsing the protection motivation theory, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 249 participants. Purposive sampling was used to target participants who met 4 inclusion criteria: US residents, owning and using a smartphone, informal caregivers (individuals who give care to a friend or family member without payment) who provided at least 8 hours of care per week in the past year, and those currently not using any mobile app for caregiving purposes. We created a survey using Qualtrics and posted it on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website. Participants received monetary compensation after successful completion of the survey. ResultsWe found that capabilities and skills of caregivers to use mobile apps, the app’s effectiveness in responding to the needs of caregivers, the degree of control of caregivers over their responsibilities, and the decisions they make for their care receivers can predict their willingness to adopt caregiving-related apps. In addition, the severity of health status and vulnerability of care receivers to unexpected health changes indirectly shape their caregivers’ decisions to adopt and use mobile apps for caregiving purposes. ConclusionsThis study explores the important factors that affect informal caregivers’ intentions to adopt related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. The results contribute to both mobile health adoption and the caregiving literature, and they offer significant implications for developers, health care practitioners, and policy makers.
Highlights
BackgroundIn 2017, only approximately 37 million patients were admitted to US hospitals [1]
We proposed the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 2a (H2a): The caregiver’s perception of the care receiver’s vulnerability to unexpected health changes positively influences the caregiver’s perception of the mobile app’s response efficacy
The R2 value of intention to adopt a caregiving mobile app is 0.401, indicating that more than 40% of the variance in intention to adopt can be explained by response efficacy, self-efficacy, and self-autonomy
Summary
BackgroundIn 2017, only approximately 37 million patients were admitted to US hospitals [1]. Caregiving responsibilities primarily include providing informational and emotional support, dealing with financial concerns, and managing medical care [4]. Caregiving-related mobile apps provide a platform for obtaining valuable and trusted information, connecting more with other caregivers, monitoring medications, and managing appointments, and assessing health requirements and conditions of care receivers. Such apps incorporate valuable resources that address care for the caregivers. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the important factors that affect caregivers’ intentions to integrate related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. Conclusions: This study explores the important factors that affect informal caregivers’ intentions to adopt related mobile apps into their routine caregiving responsibilities. The results contribute to both mobile health adoption and the caregiving literature, and they offer significant implications for developers, health care practitioners, and policy makers
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
