Abstract
BackgroundAlthough middle-aged and elderly users are the main group targeted by health maintenance-oriented WeChat official accounts (HM-WOAs), few studies have explored the relationship of these accounts and their users. Exploring the factors that influence the continuous adoption of WOAs is helpful to strengthen the health education of middle-aged and elderly individuals.ObjectiveWe developed a new theoretical model and explored the factors that influence middle-aged and elderly individuals' continuous usage intention for HM-WOA. Performance expectancy mediated the effects of the model in explaining continuous usage intention and introduced health literacy into the model.MethodsWe established a hybrid theoretical model on the basis of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 model (UTAUT2), the health belief model (BHM), protection motivation theory (PMT), and health literacy. We collected valid responses from 396 middle-aged and elderly users aged ≥ 45 years in China. To verify our hypotheses, we analyzed the data using structural equation modeling.ResultsPerformance expectancy (β = 0.383, P < 0.001), hedonic motivation (β = 0.502, P < 0.001), social influence (β = 0.134, P = 0.049), and threat appraisal (β = 0.136, P < 0.001) positively influenced middle-aged and elderly users' continuous usage intention. Perceived health threat (β = − 0.065, P = 0.053) did not have a significant effect on continuous usage intention. Both threat appraisal (β = 0.579, P < 0.001) and health literacy (β = 0.579, P < 0.001) positively affected performance expectancy. Threat appraisal indirectly affected continuous usage intention through performance expectancy mediation.ConclusionsOur new theoretical model is useful for understanding middle-aged and elderly users' continuous usage intention for HM-WOA. Performance expectancy plays a mediation role between threat appraisal and continuous usage intention, and health literacy positively affects performance expectancy.
Highlights
Preventing disease and supporting health self-management have become increasingly important for theXu et al BMC Med Inform Decis Mak (2021) 21:257 growing aging population
Our new theoretical model is useful for understanding middle-aged and elderly users’ continuous usage intention for Hedonic motivation (HM)-WeChat official account (WOA)
Demographic description The description statistics revealed a valid sample of 36.4% men and 63.6% women in our survey
Summary
Background Preventing disease and supporting health self-management have become increasingly important for theXu et al BMC Med Inform Decis Mak (2021) 21:257 growing aging population. The health information behavior and influencing factors of middle-aged and elderly users deserve to be studied. WeChat is the most popular social platform for middle-aged and elderly users [2]. Health maintenance-oriented WeChat official accounts (HM-WOAs) are service public accounts that help medical institutions or nonprofit organizations and individuals communicate with the society and share health information knowledge such as disease prevention, health care, and disease recovery. Middle-aged and elderly users are the main group targeted by health maintenance-oriented WeChat official accounts (HM-WOAs), few studies have explored the relationship of these accounts and their users. Exploring the factors that influence the continuous adoption of WOAs is helpful to strengthen the health education of middle-aged and elderly individuals
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