Promoting new users' online health consultation services usage behavior strategically

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health Adoption
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online healthcare consultation services.
• Continued usage of these digital health platforms post-pandemic remains uncertain.
• Understanding user behavior is crucial for sustaining telehealth services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework examining factors influencing UK adults' continued use of online healthcare consultations after COVID-19.
• To identify key drivers and moderators of sustained digital health engagement.
• To inform strategies for healthcare providers and policymakers.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative study involving 430 new users of online healthcare consultation services in the UK.
• Survey data collected to assess user perceptions and behaviors.
• Statistical analysis to test the proposed framework and hypotheses.

Main Results:

• Expectation confirmation, system quality, and information quality positively influence users' self-efficacy in using online healthcare services.
• User self-efficacy is a significant predictor of continued usage behavior.
• Perceived health risks moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and continued usage.

Conclusions:

• Factors like expectation confirmation and service quality are vital for fostering self-efficacy and continued use of online healthcare.
• Healthcare providers should focus on enhancing user experience and perceived value to promote sustained digital health adoption.
• Addressing user perceptions of health risks can further support the long-term integration of telehealth.