Awareness and Use of Home-Based Respiratory Pathogen Testing Services in the Internet Era: Postpandemic Questionnaire...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Home-based respiratory pathogen testing services (HRPTS) are an emerging internet-based healthcare model.
• HRPTS offer rapid pathogen identification, overcoming conventional testing delays for faster diagnosis.
• Public awareness, adoption rates, and influencing factors for HRPTS remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate awareness and adoption intention of HRPTS among digitally connected urban residents.
• To analyze the factors influencing the adoption intention of HRPTS.

Main Methods:

• A structured questionnaire based on the technology acceptance model was used.
• Data were collected from 1756 respondents via online surveys.
• Multivariate linear regression and exploratory factor analysis were employed for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• 54.7% of respondents were aware of HRPTS, and 15.3% had used them.
• High perceived usefulness for rapid identification, early treatment, cost savings, and anxiety reduction.
• Concerns were raised regarding privacy (52.7%), test accuracy (49.6%), and regulation (54.0%).
• Over 70% expressed willingness to adopt HRPTS.
• Higher education, living with family, and absence of chronic diseases predicted higher adoption intention.
• Prior non-use and less frequent healthcare seeking were negatively associated with adoption.

Conclusions:

• HRPTS offer significant value for early diagnosis and healthcare optimization in urban China.
• Addressing concerns about test accuracy, data privacy, and regulatory accountability is crucial.
• Strengthening HRPTS is important for respiratory disease prevention in the postpandemic era.