User acceptance of mobile health services from users’ perspectives: The role of self-efficacy and response-efficacy in technology acceptance

ABSTRACT

With the swift emergence of electronic medical information, the global popularity of mobile health (mHealth) services continues to increase steadily. This study aims to investigate the efficacy factors that directly or indirectly influence individuals’ acceptance of mHealth services. Based on the technology acceptance model, this research incorporates efficacy factors into the acceptance decision process. A research model was proposed involving the direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy and response-efficacy on acceptance intention, along with their moderating effects. The model and hypotheses were validated using data collected from a field survey of 650 potential service users. The results reveal that: (1) self-efficacy and response-efficacy are both positively associated with perceived ease of use; and (2) self-efficacy and response-efficacy moderate the impact of perceived usefulness toward adoption intention. Self-efficacy and response-efficacy both play an important role in individuals’ acceptance of mHealth services, which not only affect their perceived ease of use of mHealth services, but also positively moderate the effects of perceived usefulness on adoption intention. Our findings serve to provide recommendations that are specifically customized for mHealth service providers and their marketers.

KEYWORDS:

• Adoption intention
• mHealth services
• perceived ease of use
• perceived usefulness
• response-efficacy
• self-efficacy

Declaration of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Funding

This study was partially funded by the NSFC 71531007, NSFC 71471048, and NSFC 71471049.

Additional information

Funding

This study was partially funded by the NSFC 71531007, NSFC 71471048, and NSFC 71471049.