Social impacts of the continuous usage of digital healthcare service: A case of South Korea

Abstract

As untact communication is promoted in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention is paid to remote medical examination and customized healthcare trends. General digital healthcare services among social community members positively affect individuals’ healthcare and reduce medical social services’ burden, contributing to the development of society. Accordingly, it is necessary to induce healthcare behaviors through the continuous usage of digital healthcare services among social community members and to examine significant social impact factors in this regard. This study empirically analyzes the impact of three social impact factors – social capital, social support, and social value – on the continuous usage of digital healthcare service with healthcare behaviors and e-health literacy as media. To this end, a survey was conducted among 363 individuals who had used digital healthcare services in Korea, and the statistical data were analyzed. Social capital and social value were found to affect healthcare behaviors, e-health literacy, and continuous usage intentions, but social support did not. Based on this result, it was confirmed that the factors regarded by digital healthcare service users as necessary were the values and perceptions shared in society and the group, information and active communication rather than direct public support.