Empowering Healthcare through Precision Medicine: Unveiling the Nexus of Social Factors and Trust

Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Dec 15;11(24):3177. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11243177.

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of social factors on the acceptance of precision medicine (PM) using a quantitative survey grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. The findings revealed that social influence has a significantly positive effect on PM acceptance, while the influence of social media is found to be insignificant. Performance expectancy emerged as the most influential factor, demonstrating a significant relationship with PM acceptance. Trust plays a crucial moderating role, mitigating the impact of social factors on PM acceptance. While exploring the mediating effects of trust, we identified a significant mediation effect for social influence and performance expectancy on PM acceptance. However, the mediation effect of social media influence is insignificant. These findings highlight the importance of trust in shaping decisions regarding PM acceptance. These findings have significant implications for healthcare practitioners and policymakers aiming to promote the adoption of precision medicine in clinical practice.

Keywords: UTAUT; healthcare technology; precision medicine; social influence; trust in doctors.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.