The Use of a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to Predict Patients' Usage of a Personal Health Record System: The Role of Security, Privacy, and Usability

Adi Alsyouf; Abdalwali Lutfi; Nizar Alsubahi; Fahad Nasser Alhazmi; Khalid Al-Mugheed; Rami J Anshasi; Nora Ibrahim Alharbi; Moteb Albugami

doi:10.3390/ijerph20021347

The Use of a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to Predict Patients' Usage of a Personal Health Record System: The Role of Security, Privacy, and Usability

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 11;20(2):1347. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20021347.

Authors

Adi Alsyouf¹, Abdalwali Lutfi^{2

3}, Nizar Alsubahi^{4

5}, Fahad Nasser Alhazmi⁴, Khalid Al-Mugheed⁶, Rami J Anshasi⁷, Nora Ibrahim Alharbi⁸, Moteb Albugami⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Managing Health Services & Hospitals, Faculty of Business Rabigh, College of Business (COB), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21991, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Accounting, College of Business (COB), King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
³ Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan.
⁴ Department of Health Services and Hospitals Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands.
⁶ Nursing College, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh 13244, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Prosthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
⁸ Department of Business Administration, College of Business Administration (CBA), University of Business and Technology (UBT), Jeddah 23435, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Management Information Systems, College of Business (COB) Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 344, Jeddah 21991, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Personal health records (PHR) systems are designed to ensure that individuals have access and control over their health information and to support them in being active participants rather than passive ones in their healthcare process. Yet, PHR systems have not yet been widely adopted or used by consumers despite their benefits. For these advantages to be realized, adoption of the system is necessary. In this study, we examined how self-determination of health management influences individuals' intention to implement a PHR system, i.e., their ability to actively manage their health. Using an extended technology acceptance model (TAM), the researchers developed and empirically tested a model explaining public adoption of PHRs. In total, 389 Saudi Arabian respondents were surveyed in a quantitative cross-sectional design. The hypotheses were analysed using structural equation modelling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS4). Results indicate that PHR system usage was influenced by three major factors: perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and security towards intention to use. PHR PEOU and PHR intention to use were also found to be moderated by privacy, whereas usability positively moderated PHR PEOU and PHR intention to use and negatively moderated PHR PU and PHR intention to use. For the first time, this study examined the use of personal health records in Saudi Arabia, including the extension of the TAM model as well as development of a context-driven model that examines the relationship between privacy, security, usability, and the use of PHRs. Furthermore, this study fills a gap in the literature regarding the moderating effects of privacy influence on PEOU and intention to use. Further, the moderating effects of usability on the relationship between PEOU, PU, and intention to use. Study findings are expected to assist government agencies, health policymakers, and health organizations around the world, including Saudi Arabia, in understanding the adoption of personal health records.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; adoption; eHealth; eHealth application; perceived ease of use; perceived usefulness; privacy; security; technology acceptance; technology acceptance model; usability.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Health Records, Personal*
Humans
Privacy*
Saudi Arabia
Technology

Grants and funding

This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant no. G-310-849-1441. Therefore, the authors acknowledge DSR’s technical and financial support with thanks.