The role of health status in older adults’ perceptions of the usefulness of eHealth technology

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between an older individual’s self-reported health and the perceived usefulness of computers in assisting with health-related tasks. Methods: A total of 210 older adults (age ≥ 60) completed questionnaire items pertaining to demographics, general health, perception of importance of daily activities, technology experience and use, and perceived usefulness of computers and the Internet. Results were obtained using a factor analysis and multiple regression. Results: Self-reported health was found to have a significant negative relationship with the importance of health-related activities to daily living (Beta = -0.210) but a significant positive relationship with the perceived usefulness of computers in assisting with the same health-related activities (Beta = 0.151). Discussion: Results indicate that adoption of health-supporting technologies could be facilitated by user-centered designs that better accommodate older adults in poor health. Alternatively, adoption may be facilitated by making the potential usefulness of computers more salient to older adults.