Factors Influencing Continued Usage Behavior on Mobile Health Applications

Abstract

(1) Background: As people pay more attention to health, mobile health applications (mHealth apps) are becoming popular. These apps offer health services that run on mobile devices to help improve users’ health behaviors. However, few studies explore what motivates users to continue to use these apps. This study proposes antecedents influencing users’ electronic satisfaction (e-satisfaction) and their continued behaviors of using mHealth apps. Based on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), this study constructs a research model including perceived reliability and online review to predict the continued usage behavior on mHealth apps in China; (2) Methods: We conduct an online survey to collect data from participants who have used mHealth apps. This study receives 327 valid responses and tests the research model using the partial least squares structural equation model approach; (3) Results: Our results find that antecedents positively affect continued usage intention through the mediation role of e-satisfaction with mHealth apps. Interestingly, this study reveals that habit positively affects the continued usage behavior and moderates the effect of e-satisfaction and continued intention of using mHealth apps; (4) Conclusions: This study presents theoretical implications on the extended UTAUT2 and provides practical implications understanding of managing mHealth apps in China.

Keywords

• mHealth apps
• e-satisfaction
• continued usage intention
• continued usage behavior
• UTAUT2