Factors driving the use of mobile health app: insights from a survey
Nur Farahin Mohd Johari, Nazlena Mohamad Ali, Mohamad Hidir Mhd Salim, Nor Aniza Abdullah
Abstract
Background: Mobile health (mHealth) offers easy accessibility to healthcare information and services, promoting positive behaviour change. However, user engagement to mHealth diminishes over time, resulting in significant dropout rates. This study aims to investigate the factors contributing to the discontinuation of mHealth use and examine how persuasive elements influence users' intention to continue using mHealth. It also seeks to identify the key motivators and barriers affecting mHealth engagement. Methods: A survey was conducted to assess persuasive elements, motivators, and barriers related to mHealth usage. The survey included measures to evaluate users' perceived persuasiveness of mHealth, the factors influencing their intention to continue using it, and both the motivators and barriers to its sustained use. Results: The analysis revealed that unobtrusiveness had the strongest positive correlation with the intention to continue using mHealth. Additionally, a positive association was found between users' perception of mHealth's persuasiveness and their intention to continue using it. The study also identified key motivators that encourage mHealth adoption and several barriers that hinder long-term engagement. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of developing strategies to enhance the long-term adoption of mHealth solutions and reduce dropout rates. Future research is needed to explore effective interventions for sustaining mHealth usage and addressing the barriers that lead to disengagement.