Intention to Use mHealth in Older Adults With Heart Failure

mHealth, or the use of mobile technology in healthcare, is becoming increasingly common. In heart failure (HF), mHealth has been associated with improved self-management and quality of life. However, it is known that older adults continue to lag behind their younger counterparts when it comes to mobile technology adoption.

The primary aim of this study was to examine factors that influence intention to use mHealth among older adults with HF.

An adapted Technology Acceptance Model was used to guide this cross-sectional, correlational study. Convenience sampling was used to identify participants from a large university hospital and online.

A total of 129 older adults with HF participated in the study. Social influence (β = 0.17, P = .010), perceived ease of use (β = 0.16, P < .001), and perceived usefulness (β = 0.33, P < .001) were significantly associated with intention to use mHealth even after controlling for potential confounders (age, gender, race, education, income, and smartphone use). Perceived financial cost and eHealth literacy were not significantly associated with intention to use mHealth.

Researchers should consider using the participatory approach in developing their interventions to ensure that their mHealth-based interventions will not only address the patient's HF self-management needs but also be easy enough to use even for those who are less technology savvy.