IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i1p834-d1022565.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding the Antecedents and Effects of mHealth App Use in Pandemics: A Sequential Mixed-Method Investigation

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaoling Jin

    (Management School, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Zhangshuai Yuan

    (Management School, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China)

  • Zhongyun Zhou

    (School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China)

Abstract

Pandemics such as COVID-19 pose serious threats to public health and disrupt the established systems for obtaining healthcare services. Mobile health (mHealth) apps serve the general public as a potential method for coping with these exogenous challenges. However, prior research has rarely discussed the antecedents and effects of mHealth apps and their use as a coping method during pandemics. Based on the technology acceptance model, empowerment theory, and event theory, we developed a research model to examine the antecedents (technology characteristics and event strength) and effects (psychological empowerment) of mHealth apps and their use. We tested this research model through a sequential mixed-method investigation. First, a quantitative study based on 402 Chinese mHealth users who used the apps during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to validate the theoretical model. A follow-up qualitative study of 191 online articles and reviews on mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to cross-validate the results and explain the unsupported findings of the quantitative study. The results show that (1) the mHealth app characteristics (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) positively affect mHealth app use; (2) mHealth app use positively affects the psychological empowerment of mHealth users; and (3) the characteristics of pandemic events (event criticality and event disruption) have positive moderating effects on the relationship between mHealth app characteristics and mHealth app use. This study explains the role of mHealth apps in the COVID-19 pandemic on the micro-level, which has implications for the ways in which mHealth apps are used in response to public pandemics.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoling Jin & Zhangshuai Yuan & Zhongyun Zhou, 2023. "Understanding the Antecedents and Effects of mHealth App Use in Pandemics: A Sequential Mixed-Method Investigation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:1:p:834-:d:1022565
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/834/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/834/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joseph F. Hair & G. Tomas M. Hult & Christian M. Ringle & Marko Sarstedt & Kai Oliver Thiele, 2017. "Mirror, mirror on the wall: a comparative evaluation of composite-based structural equation modeling methods," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 616-632, September.
    2. Ping Zhang & Jasy Liew Suet Yan & Katie DeVries Hassman, 2013. "The intellectual characteristics of the information field: Heritage and substance," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(12), pages 2468-2491, December.
    3. Anne-Françoise Audrain-Pontevia & Loick Menvielle & Myriam Ertz, 2019. "Effects of Three Antecedents of Patient Compliance for Users of Peer-to-Peer Online Health Communities: Cross-Sectional Study," Post-Print hal-02866074, HAL.
    4. Joanna Sale & Lynne Lohfeld & Kevin Brazil, 2002. "Revisiting the Quantitative-Qualitative Debate: Implications for Mixed-Methods Research," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 43-53, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Luiz Philipi Calegari & Guilherme Luz Tortorella & Diego Castro Fettermann, 2023. "Getting Connected to M-Health Technologies through a Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-33, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nöjd, Sture & Trischler, Jessica Westman & Otterbring, Tobias & Andersson, Pernille K. & Wästlund, Erik, 2020. "Bridging the valuescape with digital technology: A mixed methods study on customers’ value creation process in the physical retail space," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    2. Ting Chi & Olabisi Adesanya & Hang Liu & Rebecca Anderson & Zihui Zhao, 2023. "Renting than Buying Apparel: U.S. Consumer Collaborative Consumption for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Haegeman, Karel & Marinelli, Elisabetta & Scapolo, Fabiana & Ricci, Andrea & Sokolov, Alexander, 2013. "Quantitative and qualitative approaches in Future-oriented Technology Analysis (FTA): From combination to integration?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 80(3), pages 386-397.
    4. Petra C Gronholm & Oluwadamilola Onagbesan & Poonam Gardner-Sood, 2017. "Care coordinator views and experiences of physical health monitoring in clients with severe mental illness: A qualitative study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(7), pages 580-588, November.
    5. Ashish Kumar & Muskaan Arora & Monika Saini, 2023. "Influence of mathematics on the academic performance of mechanical engineering students: a PLS-SEM approach," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 14(1), pages 367-376, February.
    6. Keen, Christian & Lescop, Denis & Sanchez-Famoso, Valeriano, 2022. "Does coopetition support SMEs in turbulent contexts?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    7. Wang, Siqi & Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Lim, Xin-Jean & Leong, Yee Choy & Choo, Wei Chong, 2022. "Thanks COVID-19, I'll reconsider my purchase: Can fear appeal reduce online shopping cart abandonment?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Chen, Xia & Miraz, Mahadi Hasan & Gazi, Md. Abu Issa & Rahaman, Md. Atikur & Habib, Md. Mamun & Hossain, Abu Ishaque, 2022. "Factors affecting cryptocurrency adoption in digital business transactions: The mediating role of customer satisfaction," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    9. Salgado, Stéphane & Hemonnet-Goujot, Aurelie & Henard, David H. & de Barnier, Virginie, 2020. "The dynamics of innovation contest experience: An integrated framework from the customer’s perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 29-43.
    10. José Roberto Frega & Alex Antonio Ferraresi & Carlos Olavo Quandt & Claudimar Pereira da Veiga, 2018. "Relationships Among Knowledge Management, Organisational Innovativeness and Performance: Covariance-Based Versus Partial Least-Squares Structural Equation Modelling," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(01), pages 1-19, March.
    11. Rodríguez-López, María Eugenia & Higueras-Castillo, Elena & Rojas-Lamorena, Álvaro J. & Alcántara-Pilar, Juan Miguel, 2024. "The future of TV-shopping: predicting user purchase intention through an extended technology acceptance model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    12. Lussier, Bruno & Philp, Matthew & Hartmann, Nathaniel N. & Wieland, Heiko, 2021. "Social anxiety and salesperson performance: The roles of mindful acceptance and perceived sales manager support," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 112-125.
    13. David Giauque & Frédéric Cornu & Karine Renard & Yves Emery, 2023. "Opportunity to Use New Ways of Working: Do Sectors and Organizational Characteristics Shape Employee Perceptions?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-21, July.
    14. Rosalia Diaz‐Carrion & Macarena López‐Fernández & Pedro M. Romero‐Fernandez, 2020. "Sustainable human resource management and employee engagement: A holistic assessment instrument," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1749-1760, July.
    15. Mohammad Nurul Alam & Osarodion Ogiemwonyi & Ibrahim. E. Hago & Noor Azlinna Azizan & Fariza Hashim & Md Sazzad Hossain, 2023. "Understanding Consumer Environmental Ethics and the Willingness to Use Green Products," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440221, January.
    16. Eugenio De Gregorio & Ivana Tagliafico & Alfredo Verde, 2018. "A comparison of qualitatively and quantitatively driven analytic procedures of psychotherapeutic group sessions with deviant adolescents," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1731-1760, July.
    17. Mine Halis & Duygu Yildirim, 2022. "The effect of perceived social support and life orientation on anxiety caused by online education in Covid 19 conditions," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(4), pages 310-322, June.
    18. Halpern, Nigel & Mwesiumo, Deodat & Suau-Sanchez, Pere & Budd, Thomas & Bråthen, Svein, 2021. "Ready for digital transformation? The effect of organisational readiness, innovation, airport size and ownership on digital change at airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    19. Stephen Buetow, 2014. "How Can a Family Resemblances Approach Help to Typify Qualitative Research? Exploring the Complexity of Simplicity," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(4), pages 21582440145, October.
    20. Iliriana Miftari & Rainer Haas & Oliver Meixner & Drini Imami & Ekrem Gjokaj, 2022. "Factors Influencing Consumer Attitudes towards Organic Food Products in a Transition Economy—Insights from Kosovo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:1:p:834-:d:1022565. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.