Predicting the Mass Adoption of eDoctor Apps During COVID-19 in China Using Hybrid SEM-Neural Network Analysis

Modelling the significance of value-belief-norm framework to predict mass adoption potentials of internet of things-enabled wearable fitness devices

Self-health monitoring technologies have become increasingly popular in averting unanticipated health complications. However, the adoption rate of such technologies in developing countries is surprisingly low. Furthermore, empirical studies on the application of the value-belief-norm (VBN) model to elucidate intention to use IoT-enabled wearable fitness devices (IoT-enabled WFDs) are scarce. This study aimed to expand the VBN model by integrating health values, health consciousness, health knowledge-seeking, and social norms as influencing constructs. The proposed holistic framework was empirically tested to examine these constructs on users' decision-making process of adopting IoT-enabled WFDs. A web-based survey involving 866 adults in China aged 18-30 years was conducted. The gathered data were analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling. The results revealed the significant influence of health consciousness and health knowledge-seeking on personal health beliefs, as well as the favourable impact of personal health beliefs on personal norms and awareness of consequences. The results further demonstrated the substantial influence of awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibilities on personal norms. Besides that, personal norms and societal norms were found to have strong influence on the intention to adopt IoT-enabled WFDs, which was revealed to have significant influence on the actual usage. This study's findings offer novel theoretical insights on the behavioural characteristics of adopting IoT-enabled WFDs and serve as a practical guideline for industry experts and marketers to establish appropriate marketing strategies to support the IoT-enabled wearable sector. The findings also benefit policymakers in their efforts of developing strategies that emphasise the unique benefits of self-healthcare monitoring to encourage active lifestyle and decrease obesity and overweight-related health risks.

Environmental and health values, beliefs, norms and compatibility on intention to adopt hydroponic farming among unemployed youth

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among environmental and health values, ecological worldview, perception of consequences, the ascription of responsibility, and personal norms in the context of the value-belief-norm (VBN) model and how compatibility influences the intentions and behaviors of Chinese youth regarding the use of hydroponic farming technology. The study employed a survey questionnaire to collect data from the target population. The sample size was determined through a power analysis to ensure sufficient statistical power for the analysis. A total of 727 potential respondents' responses were analyzed using SmartPLS (4.0) to perform structural equation modeling. The results confirmed that environmental, emotional, and health values significantly associated with individuals' ecological worldviews. There was an interconnection between ecological worldview, awareness of consequences, and ascription of responsibility, and all three significantly influenced personal norms. The key determinants of the intentions and behaviors to adopt hydroponic farming technology are personal norms and technology compatibility. Therefore, to promote and motivate the interest and intention to use hydroponics among unemployed youth, government agencies, and related companies should focus on providing technology-related and pro-environmental information and training. This is expected to increase the acceptance and awareness of hydroponics among this group, thus increasing the adoption rate of hydroponics.

Predicting m-health acceptance from the perspective of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology

Addressing the growing popularity of mobile health (m-Health) technology in the health industry, the current study examined consumers' intention and behaviour related to the usage of digital applications based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). In particular, this study quantitatively assessed the moderating role of perceived product value and mediating role of intention to use m-Health application among Indonesians. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and collected quantitative data from conveniently selected respondents through an online survey, which involved 2068 Telegram users in Indonesia. All data were subjected to the analysis of partial least square- structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The obtained results demonstrated the moderating effect of perceived product value on the relationship between intention to use m-Health application (m-health app) and actual usage of m-Health app and the mediating effects of intention to use m-Health app on the relationships of perceived critical mass, perceived usefulness, perceived convenience, perceived technology accuracy, and perceived privacy protection on actual usage of m-Health app. However, the intention to use m-Health app did not mediate the influence of health consciousness and health motivation on the actual usage of m-Health app. Overall, this study's findings on the significance of intention to use m-Health app and perceived product value based on the UTAUT framework serve as insightful guideline to expand the usage of m-Health app among consumers.

Envisaging the intention and adoption of electronic health applications among middle-aged and older adults: Evidence from an emerging economy

Technology plays a substantial role in our daily lives, and the spread of COVID-19 paves the way for the use of healthcare technologies to manage health in the comfort of our homes. Middle-aged and older adults face health issues and require instant healthcare advice and support. Electronic healthcare (EH) applications have emerged to facilitate middle-aged and older adults receiving healthcare support instantly while remaining in their homes. The present study empirically evaluates the intention and adoption of electronic health applications with the technological attributes of perceived compatibility, cost, product value, technology accuracy, privacy issues and health motivation among middle-aged and older adults from Malaysia. Moreover, this research examines the mediating effect of the intention to adopt EH applications between technology attributes and the adoption of EH applications. This study uses a cross-sectional method and employs an online survey to assemble quantitative data from 298 middle-aged and older Malaysian adults. It utilizes partial least squares structural equation modelling for data analysis. The data analysis reveals that perceived compatibility, cost, privacy, product value and health motivation significantly influenced the intention to use EH apps. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the intention to adopt EH apps significantly mediates the relationship between the perception of cost, personal privacy, product value, health motivation and adoption of EH apps. However, the intention to use EH apps insignificantly instigates their adoption. Finally, the study presents its implications, limitations and future research directions.

Modelling the significance of health values, beliefs and norms on the intention to consume and the consumption of organic foods

The present research aims to extend the value-belief-norm model by including health values, health consciousness, healthy eating beliefs, and trust in organic food as the impelling factors. This study empirically tested the holistic framework to understand the important factors in consumers' decision-making processes concerning organic food consumption. A web-based survey was performed to collect data from a convenience sample of 571 organic food consuming university students in China. The hypotheses were tested using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Based on the findings, health values and health consciousness had substantial impacts on healthy eating beliefs, which in turn positively affected personal norms and awareness of consequences. Additionally, awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility had major effects on personal norms. Likewise, personal norms and trust in organic food had a profound influence on the intention to consume organic foods, which in turn significantly induced actual consumption. The findings not only provide novel insights for researchers to understand the aspects of organic food consumption but present a guideline for marketers to develop appropriate marketing tactics to grow the organic food business. This study recommends that policymakers should focus on increasing the awareness and knowledge of organic food, encouraging organic food production, and prioritising campaigns showcasing the unique health benefits of organic food to stimulate increased consumption.

How health motivation moderates the effect of intention and usage of wearable medical devices? An empirical study in Malaysia

Mobile technology is popular because it facilitates users in multiple ways. This technology is revolutionising the healthcare industry, and mobile-based wearable medical devices (WMDs) are becoming common. Technology adoption is always challenging, and technology value is based on the technology attributes and personal inclination towards using the technology. This study investigates how the perceived product value is influenced by compatibility, cost, personal privacy, technology accuracy, and usefulness. The perceived product value instigates the intention to use wearable medical devices and health motivation (HMT), and the intention to use promotes the adoption of WMDs. Furthermore, the relationship between the intention to use and the adoption of WMDs is moderated by HMT. The current work employed a cross-sectional research design, and data were collected through an online survey of Malaysian adults. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that the WMDs' compatibility, cost, and technology accuracy significantly influenced the WMDs' value. Besides, the perceived product value impacted the intention to use WMDs, while HMT and intention to use WMDs insignificantly influenced the adoption of WMDs. Finally, HMT significantly moderated the relationship between the intention to use and the adoption of WMDs. This study also reports the limitations and future research opportunities.

Modeling the Intention and Adoption of Wearable Fitness Devices: A Study Using SEM-PLS Analysis

Wearable fitness devices (WFDs) are prevalent personal technology that empowers the users' management and supervision of their personal health. The current study explored the impact of health consciousness, health motivation, perceived cost, compatibility, usefulness, and perceived technology accuracy with the intention to use the WFDs. Furthermore, the users' conspicuous consumption and intention promote the usage of WFDs. A cross-sectional and quantitative research design was utilized for the current study, followed by data collection through social media and a final analysis with 1,071 samples data. The data analysis was accomplished with the partial least square regression structural equation modeling. The findings of this study revealed that the users' level of health consciousness, perceived compatibility, usefulness, perceived cost, and technology accuracy significantly influenced the intention to use WFDs. However, the conspicuous consumption and intention indicated the support for the usage behavior of the WFDs. This behavior significantly moderated the relationship between the intention and usage behavior for the WFDs. This study contributed to the theoretical realm for prompting the intention to use the WFDs with personal protection motivation that depicts the coping strategy and technology level attributes that form the intention to use WFDs. The WFDs manufacturers should therefore focus on developing WFDs features that harness usage behavior among the adults. Developing the personal responsibility to reduce the burden of the healthcare system and taking care of personal health could promote the usage of the WFDs.

Modelling the mass adoption potential of wearable medical devices

Digital technologies empower users to manage their health and reduce the burden on the public health system. The mass adoption of wearable medical devices (WMDs) promotes the ageing population’s confidence besides facilitating users. Thus, the current study aims to empirically evaluate the formation of perceived product value (PPV) with the WMDs’ computability, usefulness, cost, and accuracy, the intention to use WMDs influenced by health consciousness (HCS), health anxiety (HAY), product value, and perceived critical mass (PCM), and later the adoption of WMDs among Chinese adults. The study examined the mediating effect of PPV on the relationship between the intention to use WMDs and perceived compatibility (PCT), perceived cost (PCO), perceived usefulness (PUS), and perceived technology accuracy (PTA). This study adopted a cross-sectional approach and used an online survey to collect quantitative data from 1,160 Chinese adults. Data analysis was performed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results showed that PCT, PUS, and PTA significant positive effect on PPV. Meanwhile, HCS, PCM, and PPV has a significant positive effect on intention to use WMDs, and the intention to use WMDs and PCM influenced the adoption of WMDs. Consequently, the analysis confirmed that PPV mediated the relationships between the intention to use WMD and PCT, PUS, and PTA. The WMD cost must be reduced to enhance the value of WMDs. Finally, the study’s implications, limitations, and suggestions for future studies are discussed.