Institute of Gerontology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Front Public Health. 2022 Dec 13;10:1073756. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1073756. eCollection 2022.
Over the last decade, the rapid advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have also driven the development of digital health services and applications. Older adults could particularly benefit from these technologies, but they still have less access to the Internet and less competence in using it. Based on the empirical literature on technology acceptance among older adults, this study examines the relations of perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, privacy concerns, ICT knowledge, and support seeking (family, informal, formal/institutional) with older adults' intention to adopt new digital health services.
The study included 478 older adults who participated in an online or paper/pencil questionnaire ( = 70.1 years, SD = 7.8; 38% male). Sociodemographic characteristics, subjective health status, and variables related to technology acceptance were assessed.
Latent structural equation modeling revealed that higher perceived usefulness, higher self-efficacy regarding digital health technologies, and lower privacy concerns contributed to a higher intention to use digital health services among older adults. Contrary to our expectations, general ICT knowledge was not a significant predictor. Older adults who reported seeking more support regarding technology problems from family members and formal/institutional settings also reported higher usage intentions, whereas informal support was not as relevant. Furthermore, higher age was associated with higher perceived usefulness and lower self-efficacy.
Future studies should further explore mediating factors for intention and actual use of digital health services and develop educational programs including follow-up assessments.
在过去的十年中，信息和通信技术（ICT）的快速发展也推动了数字医疗服务和应用的发展。老年人特别可以从这些技术中受益，但他们仍然较少使用互联网，使用能力也较弱。基于针对老年人技术接受度的实证文献，本研究考察了感知有用性、自我效能感、隐私担忧、信息通信技术知识以及寻求支持（家庭、非正式、正式/机构）与老年人采用新的数字医疗服务的意图之间的关系。
该研究包括 478 名参与在线或纸质/铅笔问卷调查的老年人（=70.1 岁，SD=7.8；38%为男性）。评估了社会人口统计学特征、主观健康状况以及与技术接受度相关的变量。
潜在结构方程模型显示，感知有用性较高、对数字健康技术的自我效能感较高、隐私担忧较低，有助于提高老年人使用数字健康服务的意愿。与我们的预期相反，一般信息通信技术知识不是一个重要的预测因素。报告在技术问题上更多地向家庭成员和正式/机构寻求支持的老年人也报告了更高的使用意图，而非正式支持则不那么重要。此外，年龄越高，感知有用性越高，自我效能感越低。
未来的研究应进一步探讨数字医疗服务的意图和实际使用的中介因素，并制定包括后续评估的教育计划。
