The Effect of Digital Literacy Training on Physical Activity App Acceptance and Behavioral Intentions Among Older...

Physical activity apps offer significant potential to promote physical activity and active aging; however, their acceptance among older adults remains limited, often due to insufficient digital literacy. This study aimed to examine whether targeted, app-specific digital literacy training can improve eHealth literacy, acceptance of physical activity apps, and behavioral intentions among older women, drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) extended with a personal innovativeness construct. A total of 63 older women (M = 67.0, SD = 4.6) were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 32) or control group (n = 31). The experimental group participated in a nine-week digital literacy training focused on practical use of physical activity apps. Measures were collected before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures MANOVA and ANOVAs. A significant Group × Time interaction was observed for technology acceptance (Wilks' Λ = 0.41, F (7, 54) = 11.14, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.59). The experimental group showed significant improvements across all measured constructs. The largest effects were found for eHealth literacy (η_p² = 0.39) and intention to use physical activity apps (η_p² = 0.24). App-specific digital literacy training can enhance technology acceptance and support physical activity-related intentions among older women, highlighting its potential to reduce digital barriers and promote active aging. The findings reflect short-term, self-reported changes in technology acceptance and behavioral intentions.