Iranian Health Information Technology Acceptance Model (IHITAM) from Users' Views

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Technology Acceptance
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Information technology (IT) is crucial in medical informatics, requiring user acceptance for effectiveness.
• Existing user acceptance models need frequent updates due to evolving conditions.
• Understanding factors influencing health IT adoption is vital for successful implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a novel health IT acceptance model tailored to Iranian users.
• To review and integrate features from previous IT acceptance models.
• To incorporate specific characteristics of the Iranian user base.

Main Methods:

• A correlational, cross-sectional study design was employed.
• A structured questionnaire was developed and validated to assess IT acceptance factors.
• Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis and final model design.

Main Results:

• The developed model identified six key factors influencing attitude and use intention: performance expectancy, observability, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, empowerment, and subjective norms.
• These factors operate through perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and self-efficacy.
• The extent of technology use significantly impacts technology acceptance and application.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers greater detail than existing frameworks.
• It presents a novel perspective on critical factors in technology acceptance and their interrelationships.
• This model can enhance the understanding and application of health IT in diverse user groups.