The effect of trust in technology on the intention to adopt mobile health apps and the mediating effect of perceived risk

Abstract

The digital transformation of healthcare has spawned technological innovations, including mHealth, which can reduce costs and improve the efficiency of healthcare systems. However, the adoption and implementation have been slower than expected due to various barriers, including end-user resistance. Researchers have found that using health-related mobile applications is below average in Germany compared to the global average. This study investigates the influence of trust and perceived risk on the adoption of mobile health apps in Germany. A simple model was created from literature insights and broken down into testable hypotheses. A quantitative research method using a survey to collect data from 197 participants in Germany was used. Hypotheses were tested using mediation analysis. Trust in technology is positively related to the intention to adopt and is negatively related to perceived risk. Results show no evidence of a significant relationship between perceived risk and intention to adopt. No mediation effect was found, possibly due to the measurement scales or sample characteristics. Functionality was identified as a key trust increaser and human related factors such as data accuracy and integrity as trust reducers. Data security and privacy concerns were identified and highlighted the need for greater transparency in using personal health data in the mHealth context. This study provides insights into the factors contributing to the slow adoption of mobile health apps in Germany and highlights the importance of trust and perceived risk in technology adoption. Important implications can be extracted for health app providers, regulators, and policymakers.

Date of Award	6 Jul 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Henrique Martins (Supervisor)