Contact Tracing Apps Research Articles

Survey of Citizens' Preferences for Combined Contact Tracing App Features During a Pandemic: Conjoint Analysis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased need for novel solutions such as digital contact tracing apps to mitigate virus spread became apparent. These apps have the potential to enhance public health initiatives through timely contact tracing and infection rate reduction. However, public and academic scrutiny has emerged around the adoption and use of these apps due to privacy concerns. This study aims to investigate public attitudes and preferences for contact tracing apps, specifically in Japan, using conjoint analysis to examine what specifications the public values most in such apps. By offering a nuanced understanding of the values that citizens prioritize, this study can help balance public health benefits and data privacy standards when designing contact tracing apps and serve as reference data for discussions on legal development and social consensus formation in the future. A cross-sectional, web-based questionnaire survey was conducted to determine how various factors related to the development and integration of infectious disease apps affect the public's intention to use such apps. Individuals were recruited anonymously by a survey company. All respondents were asked to indicate their preferences for a combination of basic attributes and infectious disease app features for conjoint analysis. The respondents were randomly divided into 2 groups: one responded to a scenario where the government was assumed to be the entity dealing with infectious disease apps (ie, the government cluster), and the other responded to a scenario where a commercial company was assumed to be this entity (ie, the business cluster). Samples of 500 respondents from each randomly selected group were used as target data. For the government cluster, the most important attribute in scenario A was distributor rights (42.557), followed by public benefits (29.458), personal health benefits (22.725), and profit sharing (5.260). For the business cluster, the most important attribute was distributor rights (45.870), followed by public benefits (32.896), personal health benefits (13.994), and profit sharing (7.240). Hence, personal health benefits tend to be more important in encouraging active app use than personal financial benefits. However, the factor that increased motivation for app use the most was the public health benefits of cutting infections by half. Further, concern about the use of personal data collected by the app for any secondary purpose was a negative incentive, which was more significant toward app use compared to the other 3 factors. The findings suggest that potential app users are positively motivated not only by personal health benefits but also by contributing to public health. Thus, a combined approach can be taken to increase app use.

Digital Accountability in Collaborative Public Governance in Times of Crisis: Analysing the Debate in a Polarized Social Forum

Accountability in collaborative public governance initiatives and in digital era governance is under‐researched, especially in the context of crisis and where issues are debated in a social forum. Accountability considerations are considered particularly important in collaborative governance arrangements, which are of growing relevance for delivering public services. This study, anchored in notions of digital accountability, analyzes debate in a social media forum about a collaborative governance initiative implemented during a crisis. The empirical case is the Austrian contact tracing app, a digital innovation considered key in managing the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study makes several contributions. First, it is one of the first to focus on the crucial role of debate in digital accountability in collaborative governance. Second, the study shows that the debate extends beyond the mere content of the innovation, highlighting the need to consider the ‘ecology’ of other (digital) tools, measures, and policies for crisis mitigation in parallel. Third, the study sheds light on the temporal dynamics of accountability in crisis response. The study contributes conceptually to an enhanced understanding of the expertise of actors in delivering and receiving digital public services. It also contributes to a management perspective of digital accountability, which is important given the potential implications for (non)acceptance of public sector innovations in crises and beyond. An enhanced understanding is possibly even more crucial for innovations requiring citizen co‐production in sensitive areas such as health.

Covid-19 Policy Responses, Digital Health Apps and Data Sharing: Attitudes of Swiss Medical Students

Background: In this paper we present findings from a survey with 256 medical students in Switzerland about their perception of Covid-19 public health measures, their attitude towards digital health apps to respond to the pandemic, and whether the Covid-19 crisis changed their willingness to share their health data in the future for public health research purposes. Results: Results show that most respondents indicated to be somewhat negatively affected by the pandemic, but deemed the public health policy responses to the pandemic in Switzerland as just right or even as slightly too unrestrictive. Most respondents evaluate the use of apps to respond to the pandemic as positive, and 61.7% indicated that they used the contact tracing app and 97.6% the immunity certificate app. The latter was evaluated more positively than the former. They indicated that a better communication about its benefits or the possibility to share health data for research (e.g. by listing Covid-19 symptoms and vaccination status) would improve the contact tracing app. Nearly all respondents indicated that they would share their health data or samples for research purposes in the future. The types of data they would be willing to share are mostly questionnaires about their health status, blood samples and other biological samples, with social media being the least willing to share. Our findings highlight that most respondents believe that their attitude towards sharing data for public health research did not change during or with the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Recent developments in digital health app use were fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic and the public – as a central actor – defined social trends with regard to digital health app uptake and willingness to share health data. With this survey we aimed to fill the gap of empirically examining how Swiss medical students – a young, technology- and medicine-inclined subpopulation, perceived the Covid-19 pandemic response, how they evaluate the related use of apps to respond to the pandemic as well as their willingness to share data for health research. The results may shed light on how the Covid-19-related use of technology and health data is changing the health landscape in Switzerland.

Where Technology Leads, the Problems Follow. Technosolutionism and the Dutch Contact Tracing App

In April 2020, in the midst of its first pandemic lockdown, the Dutch government announced plans to develop a contact tracing app to help contain the spread of the coronavirus – the Coronamelder. Originally intended to address the problem of the overburdening of manual contract tracers, by the time the app was released six months later, the problem it sought to solve had drastically changed, without the solution undergoing any modification, making it a prime example of technosolutionism. While numerous critics have mobilised the concept of technosolutionism, the questions of how technosolutionism works in practice and which specific harms it can provoke have been understudied. In this paper we advance a thick conception of technosolutionism which, drawing on Evgeny Morozov, distinguishes it from the notion of technological fix, and, drawing on constructivism, emphasizes its constructivist dimension. Using this concept, we closely follow the problem that the Coronamelder aimed to solve and how it shifted over time to fit the Coronamelder solution, rather than the other way around. We argue that, although problems are always constructed, technosolutionist problems are badly constructed, insofar as the careful and cautious deliberation which should accompany problem construction in public policy is absent in the case of technosolutionism. This can lead to three harms: a subversion of democratic decision-making; the presence of powerful new actors in the public policy context – here Big Tech; and the creation of “orphan problems”, whereby the initial problems that triggered the need to develop a (techno)solution are left behind. We question whether the most popular form of technology ethics today, which focuses predominantly on the design of technology, is well-equipped to address these technosolutionist harms, insofar as such a focus may preclude critical thinking about whether or not technology should be the solution in the first place.

Factors driving the acceptance of COVID-19 pandemic mobile contact tracing apps: The influence of security and privacy concerns

The acceptance of COVID-19 mobile contact tracing apps (MCTA) is crucial to curb the spread of the virus and decrease the number of infections. However, the security and privacy concerns (SPC) of COVID-19 MCTA have been called into question. Thus this paper examines the drivers of the acceptance of the COVID-19 pandemic MCTA under the auspices of the influence of SPC from the Chinese perspective based on the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology (UTAUT) model. The data generated through a questionnaire based on the convenient sampling technique was analyzed with SPSS by performing hierarchical regression analysis. The results show that the core constructs of UTAUT such as performance expectancy (PE), facilitating conditions (FC), effort expectancy (EE), and social influence (SI) along with mobile self-efficacy (MSE) were significant predictors of individual user acceptance of COVID-19 MCTA. Additionally, the study confirmed that security and privacy concerns were significant in moderating the impact of PE, FC, EE, SI, and MSE on the acceptance of COVID-19 MCTA. The managerial and theoretical implications of these findings for policy-makers, governments, mobile app developers, and researchers are interrogated.

Developing and Evaluating Digital Public Health Interventions Using the Digital Public Health Framework DigiPHrame: A Framework Development Study.

Digital public health (DiPH) interventions may help us tackle substantial public health challenges and reach historically underserved populations, in addition to presenting valuable opportunities to improve and complement existing services. However, DiPH interventions are often triggered through technological advancements and opportunities rather than public health needs. To develop and evaluate interventions designed to serve public health needs, a comprehensive framework is needed that systematically covers all aspects with relevance for public health. This includes considering the complexity of the technology, the context in which the technology is supposed to operate, its implementation, and its effects on public health, including ethical, legal, and social aspects. We aimed to develop such a DiPH framework with a comprehensive list of core principles to be considered throughout the development and evaluation process of any DiPH intervention. The resulting digital public health framework (DigiPHrame) was based on a scoping review of existing digital health and public health frameworks. After extracting all assessment criteria from these frameworks, we clustered the criteria. During a series of multidisciplinary meetings with experts from the Leibniz ScienceCampus Digital Public Health, we restructured each domain to represent the complexity of DiPH. In this paper, we used a COVID-19 contact-tracing app as a use case to illustrate how DigiPHrame may be applied to assess DiPH interventions. The current version of DigiPHrame consists of 182 questions nested under 12 domains. Domain 1 describes the current status of health needs and existing interventions; domains 2 and 3, the DiPH technology under assessment and aspects related to human-computer interaction, respectively; domains 4 and 5, structural and process aspects, respectively; and domains 6-12, contextual conditions and the outcomes of the DiPH intervention from broad perspectives. In the CWA use case, a number of questions relevant during its development but also important for assessors once the CWA was available were highlighted. DigiPHrame is a comprehensive framework for the development and assessment of digital technologies designed for public health purposes. It is a living framework and will, therefore, be updated regularly and as new public health needs and technological advancements emerge.

Altruistic and egoistic motivations to engage with contact-tracing apps: Lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, contact-tracing apps have offered effective help to bend the contagion curve. Thus, it is of critical importance to understand the factors that influence contact-tracing apps’ adoption among citizens. In particular, the successful adoption and usage of contact-tracing apps strongly relies on individual motives. Therefore, this study draws on the theory of altruistic and egoistic motivation for prosocial behaviours to analyse the underlying motives through which citizens engage in voluntary behaviours aimed at using and promoting the use of contact-tracing apps. The study also examines the mediating role of users’ trust in the app. Data from 221 users of Ireland’s Covid Tracker app was analysed. Structural equation modelling with PLS was used to test the research model. Findings show differences between egoistic and altruistic motivation in promoting app use and sharing. Egoistic motivation significantly promotes voluntary behaviours among citizens and users’ trust in the app mediates this influence. Yet, contrary to predictions, in the context of the pandemic, altruistic motivation does not play a significant role in engaging citizens in these voluntary behaviours, either directly or indirectly. The findings of this study are important for policy makers and may inform future policy decisions regarding the implementation of contact-tracing apps in the case of new pandemics or for other contexts requiring cooperative daily check-in.

What Factors Affect People's Opinions Toward COVID-19 and Contact Tracing Apps in the United States

What Factors Affect People's Opinions Toward COVID-19 and Contact Tracing Apps in the United States

The effect of political environment on security and privacy of contact tracing apps evaluation

PurposeContact tracing apps have emerged to collect data and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. However, privacy and security concerns have caused individuals to hesitate to adopt these solutions. Our objective is to evaluate the role of the political environment, information privacy, security and users’ intentions to use contact tracing apps.Design/methodology/approachWe scraped the digital app store and collected 399 relevant reviews and other data from 21 contact tracing apps in the USA. A semi-supervised machine learning model was developed to extract information on privacy and security aspects from the reviews.FindingsOur findings show a positive connection between security controls and user adoption, as reflected in star ratings. Users residing in states with blue political environments tend to assign higher ratings to apps, especially when robust security controls are in place. These findings confirm the influence of the political environment on the adoption of contact tracing apps. In times of a pandemic, our findings suggest that users prioritize security over privacy concerns, emphasizing the critical role of strong security features in promoting app acceptance.Originality/valueThis paper emphasizes the political environment of the state offering the app intersects with concerns about security and privacy as well as the effectiveness of security and privacy measures, influencing the app’s ratings. Also, it shows the importance of understanding and addressing the role of the political environment when designing and promoting such public health tools, regardless of the specific disease or outbreak.

Joint-sensemaking, innovation, and communication management during crisis: Evidence from the DCT applications in China

As exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the design and implementation of data-driven health surveillance, like digital contact tracing (DCT) apps, carry significant implications for society. However, its rushed development calls for careful consideration from all involved stakeholders to achieve a shared understanding and engage in joint-sensemaking in order to implement DCT collaboratively and effectively utilize it in the fight against the pandemic. Yet, the empirical ground truth and theoretical mechanism of joint-sensemaking are both unclear. Drawing on this gap, this article applies a multistep approach, including sentiment analysis, topic analysis coupled with regression and unique network analysis, to thoroughly explore, examine, and explain the dynamic process of joint-sensemaking in the context of a public crisis. Based on evidence from 113,264 Weibo posts, we illustrate two joint-sensemaking pathways and three key interventions using the case of China's Health Code in the context of the DCT. We reveal that the effectiveness of different interventions and contributions made by stakeholders vary significantly between different joint-sensemaking pathways. Specifically, we find that official media and opinion leaders act as crucial mediators in bridging intervention conductors and the public. However, their influence presents heterogeneity toward different network modularity, thus leading to distinct patterns. Additionally, inconsistent with previous literature, we find that within the context of the China Health Code, official media has a greater impact on opinion leaders in engaging the public.

Identifying Barriers to the Adoption of Digital Contact Tracing Apps in England: Semistructured Interview Study With Professionals Involved in the Pandemic Response.

The NHS (National Health Service) COVID-19 app was a digital contact tracing app (DCTA) used in England in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of which was to limit the spread of COVID-19 by providing exposure alerts. At the time of the pandemic, questions were raised regarding the effectiveness and cost of the NHS COVID-19 app and whether DCTAs have a role in future pandemics. This study aims to explore key barriers to DCTAs in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative study using semistructured video interviews conducted with professionals in public health, digital health, clinicians, health care law, and health executives who had an active role in the COVID-19 pandemic. These interviews aimed to explore the perspective of different experts involved in the pandemic response and gauge their opinions on the key barriers to DCTAs in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial use of maximum variation sampling combined with a snowball sampling approach ensured diversity within the cohort of interviewees. Interview transcripts were then analyzed using Braun and Clarke's 6 steps for thematic analysis. Key themes that acted as barriers to DCTAs were revealed by interviewees such as privacy concerns, poor communication, technological accessibility, digital literacy, and incorrect use of the NHS COVID-19 app. Interviewees believed that some of these issues stemmed from poor governmental communication and a lack of transparency regarding how the NHS COVID-19 app worked, resulting in decreased public trust. Moreover, interviewees highlighted that a lack of social support integration within the NHS COVID-19 app and delayed app notification period also contributed to the poor adoption rates. Qualitative findings from interviews highlighted barriers to the NHS COVID-19 app, which can be applied to DCTAs more widely and highlight some important implications for the future use of DCTAS. There was no consensus among interviewees as to whether the NHS COVID-19 app was a success; however, all interviewees provided recommendations for improvements in creating and implementing DCTAs in the future.

The role of Contact-Tracing Mobile Apps in pandemic prevention: A multidisciplinary perspective on health beliefs, social, and technological factors

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, governments implemented mobile applications for contact tracing as a rapid and effective solution to mitigate the spread of the virus. However, these seemingly straightforward solutions did not achieve their intended objectives. In line with previous research, this paper aims to investigate the factors that influence the acceptance and usage of contact-tracing mobile apps (CTMAs) in the context of disease control. The research model in this paper integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Health Belief Model (HBM). The present study involved a diverse sample of 770 French participants of all genders, ages, occupations, and regions. Critical elements from the Health Belief Model, technological factors related to the app, and social factors, including the centrality of religiosity, were assessed using well-established measurement scales.The research's findings demonstrate that several factors, such as perceived benefits and perceived severity, social influence, health motivation, and centrality of religiosity, significantly impact the intention to use a CTMA.These findings suggest that CTMAs hold promise as valuable tools for managing future epidemics. However, addressing challenges, revising implementation strategies, and potentially collaborating with specialized industry partners under regulatory frameworks are crucial. This practical insight can guide policymakers and public health officials in their decision-making.

Adoption of contact tracing app during pandemic: Users’ resistance behavior

ObjectivesThe study investigates the key issues influencing different barriers resulting in user resistance toward adopting contact tracing smartphone apps launched to track COVID-19 infections. MethodsIndian users’ experiences regarding the Aarogya Setu app for preventing the spread of COVID-19 were examined in two phases. In Phase I, online users’ comments available at the Google Play Store were qualitatively analyzed using open and axial coding. These codes were then used to create an implication matrix and hierarchical value maps to illustrate and interpret the relationships between issues, barriers, and user behavior. In Phase II, a supplementary empirical study, data was collected from users and non-users of the app through semi-structured telephone interviews and then qualitatively analyzed. ResultsBy drawing on innovation resistance theory, the current study mapped a set of adoption barriers with three types of user resistance, i.e., postponement, opposition, and rejection. Rejection emerged as the most prominent consumer resistance behavior; usage barriers, functional risk, and value barriers related to the app's usage were the key drivers of this behavior. Postponement was the second most observed consumer resistance behavior. If usage barriers, functional risk, and value barriers of the app resulted in functional barriers toward adoption of the app, then image barrier was the key reason behind the psychological barrier. ConclusionAdministrators and developers of future interventions need to be conscious of usage barriers, functional risks, and value barriers related to the app's usage through stakeholder engagement to secure broader and faster adoption of such apps to improve health information systems.

The impact of transparency and trust on user acceptance of contact tracing apps: Implications for the adoption of crisis response apps

Digital technology and smartphones provide great opportunities to support crisis response measures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries introduced contact tracing apps (CTAs) to prevent the virus’s spread and identify infection clusters. Because wide acceptance is necessary for these apps to work, it has been a subject of research. Past research often highlighted the role of trust for acceptance and suggested that technical transparency by opening the source code can help to build trust. For this reason, we studied the acceptance of two German apps: the Corona-Warn-App (CWA), which was developed as open-source software early on, and the Luca app, which did not publish the source code initially. We conducted a multinomial logistic regression testing effects on the adoption of (1) only the CWA, (2) only the Luca app, or (3) both apps. As predictors, we considered the role of trust in the app publisher and the government and controlled for predictors relevant to past research. We found trust to have a significant effect on the acceptance of the apps. A self-reported understanding of the term “open-source software” and a perceived threat by COVID-19 had a positive effect for the Corona-Warn-App or both apps but not for the Luca app alone. Being from Eastern Germany lowered the acceptance of the Luca app or both apps. Our findings can add to previous CTA acceptance research and provide insights for policymakers for future digital crisis measures, especially for populations comparable to the German population regarding government trust and privacy attitudes.

‘Barely keeping the wheels on the trolley’: A qualitative study of the New Zealand COVID Tracer App

Digital contact tracing apps were developed to help control the spread of COVID-19 but research exploring these apps has underrepresented both ‘at-risk’ communities and contact tracers. Our study examines perspectives of the New Zealand COVID Tracer app among 53 participants, comprising policy advisors, contact tracers, and Māori, Pacific, and disability stakeholders, underpinned by the theory of social construction of which positions technology within the social context in which it evolves, operates, and is negotiated. Although community stakeholders believed the app helped safeguard communities from COVID-19, the health officials' views on the app's usefulness in contact tracing varied. Participants who oversaw the app's technical development generally perceived it as being more useful, particularly regarding Bluetooth proximity detection, in contrast with contact tracers' perceptions. The findings highlight a disconnection between public sentiment and operational reality in the use of the app and the need for improved collaboration and consultation in future contact tracing responses.

The Use of COVID-19 Mobile Apps in Connecting Patients with Primary Healthcare in 30 Countries: Eurodata Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated changes in European healthcare systems, with a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases being managed on an outpatient basis in primary healthcare (PHC). To alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities, many European countries developed contact-tracing apps and symptom checkers to identify potential cases. As the pandemic evolved, the European Union introduced the Digital COVID-19 Certificate for travel, which relies on vaccination, recent recovery, or negative test results. However, the integration between these apps and PHC has not been thoroughly explored in Europe. To describe if governmental COVID-19 apps allowed COVID-19 patients to connect with PHC through their apps in Europe and to examine how the Digital COVID-19 Certificate was obtained. Design and setting: Retrospective descriptive study in PHC in 30 European countries. An ad hoc, semi-structured questionnaire was developed to collect country-specific data on primary healthcare activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of information technology tools to support medical care from 15 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. Key informants belong to the WONCA Europe network (World Organization of Family Doctors). The data were collected from relevant and reliable official sources, such as governmental websites and guidelines. Patient's first contact with health system, governmental COVID-19 app (name and function), Digital COVID-19 Certification, COVID-19 app connection with PHC. Primary care was the first point of care for suspected COVID-19 patients in 28 countries, and 24 countries developed apps to complement classical medical care. The most frequently developed app was for tracing COVID-19 cases (24 countries), followed by the Digital COVID-19 Certificate app (17 countries). Bulgaria, Italy, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Romania had interoperability between PHC and COVID-19 apps, and Poland and Romania's apps considered social needs. COVID-19 apps were widely created during the first pandemic year. Contact tracing was the most frequent function found in the registered apps. Connection with PHC was scarcely developed. In future pandemics, connections between health system levels should be guaranteed to develop and implement effective strategies for managing diseases.

Listening to Your Own Willingness to Continue Using Contact Tracing Apps: The Roles of Personal Norms

COVID-19 became a global epidemic after its breakout in December 2019. With the help of information technology, many countries developed contact tracing systems to reduce the spread of the epidemic. Although the WHO declared in May 2023 that COVID-19 is no longer a global public health emergency, the virus is still constantly changing and endangering individuals worldwide. In Taiwan, Social Distancing APP is a voluntary contact tracing app that has been downloaded and utilized approximately 9.5 million times. However, adoption remains low. To prevent the spread of the epidemic and encourage more people to use it, understanding the factors influencing continuance intentions to use social distancing apps is an important topic. The research model is composed of two parts: the modified expectation confirmation model (ECM) and personal norms. Our research model was assessed using data from a sample of 501 users of social distancing apps and was analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The results of this study suggest that (1) personal norms are the most important factor influencing continuance intention, followed by satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and descriptive norms; (2) personal norms fully mediate the relationship between injunctive norms and continuance intention; (3) personal norms partially mediate the relationship between descriptive norms and continuance intention; (4) personal norms negatively moderate the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention; and (5) personal norms positively moderate the relationship between disappointment and continuance intention. This study also discusses the implications of a modified ECM and personal norms for continuance intention to use contact tracing apps.

Deeper Down the Rabbit Hole: How Technology Conspiracy Beliefs Emerge and Foster a Conspiracy Mindset

Conspiracy theories are increasingly emerging as a threat to contemporary society. Prior research highlights the crucial role that information technology (IT) plays in accelerating the spread of these theories. However, mass media coverage suggests that the role of IT extends beyond mere dissemination as conspiracy theories often target the technology itself. In this research, we explore the prevalence of technology conspiracy beliefs—specifically, beliefs in technology-related conspiracy theories, the factors promoting these beliefs, and their consequences. Our findings reveal that technology conspiracy beliefs are widespread, affecting popular commercial technologies, such as Amazon Echo and Google Search Engine, as well as public technologies designed for societal well-being, such as contact tracing apps. Moreover, we demonstrate across four empirical studies that technology conspiracy beliefs reinforce a conspiracy mindset. This mindset is associated with a breakdown of social collaboration, constructive political discourse, and society’s ability to respond to crises. Given that these beliefs impede the adoption of beneficial technology and foster a harmful conspiracy mindset, they should be a primary concern for technology designers, managers, and policymakers. By identifying the perceptions of technology and its provider that promote these conspiracy beliefs, we provide initial insights into ways to mitigate their emergence.

QR Code-Based Attendance System for Contact Tracking Post-Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about profound changes in daily life and introduced new challenges to public health maintenance. Despite ongoing uncertainties, with certain regions easing or completely lifting community activity restrictions, persistent concerns about the virus's continued threat prompt the need for robust health monitoring measures. In this context, the use of contact tracing apps becomes pivotal for organizing individuals' movements, monitoring social distancing, and ensuring adherence to health protocols. This study introduces a QR code-based attendance system, a meticulously designed web and Android application aimed at efficiently and accurately tracking individuals' whereabouts. The system leverages QR code scanning technology, and to enhance security, employs the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) method for data encryption. This ensures the safe encryption of sensitive data, preserving its confidentiality and integrity during transmission and storage. The research outcome is a versatile application facilitating seamless access across diverse locations, allowing real-time tracking of individuals' presence. This capability proves crucial for contact tracing efforts in the event of positive cases, contributing to the implementation of post-pandemic security and surveillance policies. The system's design and features align with the evolving landscape of the pandemic, emphasizing adaptability and comprehensive support for public health initiatives.

Effects of User Experience in Automated Information Processing on Perceived Usefulness of Digital Contact-Tracing Apps: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

In pandemic situations, digital contact tracing (DCT) can be an effective way to assess one's risk of infection and inform others in case of infection. DCT apps can support the information gathering and analysis processes of users aiming to trace contacts. However, users' use intention and use of DCT information may depend on the perceived benefits of contact tracing. While existing research has examined acceptance in DCT, automation-related user experience factors have been overlooked. We pursued three goals: (1) to analyze how automation-related user experience (ie, perceived trustworthiness, traceability, and usefulness) relates to user behavior toward a DCT app, (2) to contextualize these effects with health behavior factors (ie, threat appraisal and moral obligation), and (3) to collect qualitative data on user demands for improved DCT communication. Survey data were collected from 317 users of a nationwide-distributed DCT app during the COVID-19 pandemic after it had been in app stores for >1 year using a web-based convenience sample. We assessed automation-related user experience. In addition, we assessed threat appraisal and moral obligation regarding DCT use to estimate a partial least squares structural equation model predicting use intention. To provide practical steps to improve the user experience, we surveyed users' needs for improved communication of information via the app and analyzed their responses using thematic analysis. Data validity and perceived usefulness showed a significant correlation of r=0.38 (P<.001), goal congruity and perceived usefulness correlated at r=0.47 (P<.001), and result diagnosticity and perceived usefulness had a strong correlation of r=0.56 (P<.001). In addition, a correlation of r=0.35 (P<.001) was observed between Subjective Information Processing Awareness and perceived usefulness, suggesting that automation-related changes might influence the perceived utility of DCT. Finally, a moderate positive correlation of r=0.47 (P<.001) was found between perceived usefulness and use intention, highlighting the connection between user experience variables and use intention. Partial least squares structural equation modeling explained 55.6% of the variance in use intention, with the strongest direct predictor being perceived trustworthiness (β=.54; P<.001) followed by moral obligation (β=.22; P<.001). Based on the qualitative data, users mainly demanded more detailed information about contacts (eg, place and time of contact). They also wanted to share information (eg, whether they wore a mask) to improve the accuracy and diagnosticity of risk calculation. The perceived result diagnosticity of DCT apps is crucial for perceived trustworthiness and use intention. By designing for high diagnosticity for the user, DCT apps could improve their support in the action regulation of users, resulting in higher perceived trustworthiness and use in pandemic situations. In general, automation-related user experience has greater importance for use intention than general health behavior or experience.