Acceptance and Use of eHealth in Support and Psychological Therapy for People With Intellectual Disabilities: Two Cross-Sectional Studies of Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Background: Acceptance of health care professionals is of paramount importance for the uptake and implementation of eHealth. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model is a widely used framework for studying health care professionals’ acceptance and actual use of eHealth among general client populations. However, there is limited understanding of the eHealth acceptance of health care professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Objective: This study aimed to explore the applicability of the UTAUT model toward understanding the acceptance, intention to use, and actual use of eHealth among support staff and therapists working with people with ID. Methods: A total of 2 cross-sectional survey studies were conducted among health care professionals from 5 health care organizations for people with ID in the Netherlands in 2018 (n=311) and in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic (n=326). In addition to confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses to evaluate both the original UTAUT model and an extended version, descriptive analysis was used to explore participants’ characteristics, acceptance levels, and eHealth usage. Moderator analysis and multiple regression analysis were also used. Results: A confirmatory factor analysis indicated a poor fit for both the original 4-factor UTAUT model and the extended version. An exploratory factor analysis was then conducted, resulting in a more satisfactory 5-factor model after removing 1 item with a factor loading