The Moderating Role of Privacy Concerns on Intention to Use Smart Wearable Technologies: An Integrated Model Combining UTAUT2 Theoretical Framework and Privacy Dimensions

Abstract

Wearable healthcare technologies enable continuous monitoring of wearers’ health status and the implementation of preventive measures that significantly improve their health. In recent years, the popularity of wearable fitness devices has skyrocketed. Privacy concerns are a significant impediment to more people using these devices. This study aims to understand the moderating role of privacy concerns on users’ intentions to use wearable fitness technologies. The theoretical model for this study integrates the UTAUT2 framework and privacy concerns as a second-order model. The study follows a quantitative research approach, using a questionnaire to collect data. The PLS-SEM model was used to test the theoretical model. The integrated model with the indirect effect of privacy concerns explained higher variance in predicting the behavioral intention to use wearable fitness devices. Price value, performance expectancy, habit, and facilitating conditions all had a significant influence on users’ decisions to use wearable fitness devices, while privacy concerns moderated the relationship between UTAUT2 constructs for behavioral intention to use these devices. This study confirmed that the UTAUT2 model could be extended to explain the initial adoption of smart wearable fitness devices. Prior studies investigated the intention to use smart wearable devices, but few addressed privacy concerns associated with wearable fitness devices. This study addressed this gap by investigating the moderating role of privacy concerns on the intention to use wearable fitness devices. The integrated theoretical model developed uncovers users’ privacy concerns related to these systems.