FACTORS IMPACTING THE ACTUAL USE OF DIGITAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES: INTEGRATION OF UTAUT AND THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL

In the healthcare domain, the development of digital health technologies, including mobile applications, telehealth, wearables, and portals, have created new avenues to deliver patient care, track chronic illnesses, and distribute health information. Digital health technologies allow physicians and patients to interact outside of the traditional care settings; therefore, increasing access to care for disparate populations. Understanding the factors that impact a patient’s decision to adopt digital health technologies is essential to maximizing the Actual Use of digital health technologies and addressing health disparities. This research integrates the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to examine technology use behaviors specifically in the context of healthcare. This study evaluates three independent variables – intention to use, Perceived Health Benefit, and Social Influence to determine their impact on Actual Use of technology. This study also investigates how Trust in Technology and eHealth Literacy moderate the relationship between Actual Use of technology and its antecedents. Data from a sample of adults in the United States (N= 293) provides insights into the relationships of the proposed research model.