Mobile Health for Lifestyle Modification among Health Check-up Clients: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Economic and social changes have led to shifts in the behavior and lifestyles of the population. Services related to health promotion have emerged, particularly health check-ups. Mobile phones have become an integral part of daily life. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and attitudes of health check-up clinic clients toward the use of mobile health (mHealth) for lifestyle modification and to identify the factors affecting the acceptance and use of this mHealth technology. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted at a health check-up clinic in a tertiary hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Twenty-one informants were health check-up clients recruited during visits. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted from October 2023 to January 2024. The interview questions were open-ended and consisted of three parts including health and lifestyle changes, mobile communication devices, and mHealth, with each part addressing perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Interview data were analyzed using content analysis and synthesized with the conceptual framework. Results: The findings were categorized into four main themes: (1) perceptions toward mHealth were classified into four categories: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived health threats, and personalization. (2) Diverse attitudes toward mHealth could be both positive and negative perspectives. (3) Factors influencing mHealth acceptance include social influence, perceived self-efficacy in using mHealth, and other themes that highlight motivating factors as well as barriers to mHealth usage. (4) Expectations of mHealth consist of desired features and desired characteristics. Conclusion: The study provides insights into user perceptions and attitudes regarding mHealth for lifestyle modification.