Factors influencing mobile health apps acceptance among Chinese silver generation

The rapid expansion of mobile technology, coupled with China's ageing population, has thrust mobile health (mHealth) technology to the forefront of national strategies to address healthcare disparities. As part of mHealth technology, the mHealth app is a software application designed to run on mobile devices and intended to provide health-related services to users. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced chatbots as virtual assistants, designed to interact with users through text or speech-based conversations within mHealth apps, has emerged as a pivotal solution, offering instantaneous healthcare support. However, the Silver Generation (aged 55 and above) in China continues to face challenges in accepting mHealth services. Drawing from previous literatures, this study aims to examine the features that impact the acceptance of mHealth apps among silver generation mobile users in China. First, the framework of senior users’ technology adoption model was employed. Second, supported by SFT, companion presence was suggested as the system motivation factor that encouraged consumers to accept using the mHealth app. Third, the SOR Model was applied to explain the mediating role of initial trust. Finally, VUT was adopted to investigate the moderating roles of perceived anthropomorphism and perceived intelligence. Data was collected using the purposive sampling approach to identify respondents who were Chinese silver generation users and had mobile phone use experience in the past six months. Overall, 641 responses were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Five notable findings were found in this study: 1) companion presence and initial trust were positively related to mHealth app acceptance intention; 2) initial trust mediated the influences of companion presence on mHealth app acceptance intention; 3) perceived anthropomorphism works as a moderator in the relationship between companion presence and mHealth acceptance intention; 4) perceived anthropomorphism works as a moderator in the relationship between initial trust and mHealth acceptance intention; and 5) STAM factors (i.e. control beliefs, attitudinal beliefs, and health situation) were related to mHealth app acceptance intention. This study contributes to new knowledge of evaluating a model of mHealth apps acceptance by considering the effects of companion roles and design features of systems. This study also offers substantial contributions for practitioners. First, the effectiveness of app features depends primarily on their effectiveness in companioning with consumers. Second, anthropomorphism features are suggested to be updated and embed within apps. Finally, developing the initial trust has a significant role in facilitating users’ moves towards mHealth apps.

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