A study on students’ acceptance of mobile phone use to seek health information in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liezel Cilliers ◽  
Kim Lee-Anne Viljoen ◽  
Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi

Background: In South Africa, inequitable access to healthcare information has made many young people with limited resources more vulnerable to health risks. Mobile phones present a unique opportunity to address this problem due to the high penetration of mobile phones in South Africa and the popularity of these devices among young adults. Objective: This research sought to examine the adoption of mobile phones to access health information among students at a traditional university in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Method: A cross-sectional survey approach was used to collect information from a convenience sample of 202 university students (58 males; 104 females), the majority (71.3%) of whom were aged between 18 and 27 years and of Black African ethnicity (75.2%). The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) framework formed the theoretical foundation for the questionnaire. A research model was developed to test the hypotheses that behavioural intention to use a mobile phone to access health information would be influenced by: perceived usefulness (PU), perceived effort, social influence (SI), attitude towards technology (AT) and mobile phone experience. Results: Factor analyses indicated that the research model explained 36% of the variance in behavioural intention to use mobile devices to search for health-related queries, with PU being the largest predictor, followed by mobile experience, SI, and AT. Perceived effort did not make a statistically significant contribution. Conclusion: Using mobile phones to disseminate health information to students is a useful, convenient, and cost-effective health-promotion strategy. This research has contributed to the body of knowledge concerning the applicability of the UTAUT framework to study the adoption of technology and provided useful information to guide future research and implementation of mHealth initiatives.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bui Nhat Vuong

Mobile phones with banking technology are becoming more readily available in Vietnam. Similarly, many financial institutions and mobile phone service providers are teaming up to provide several banking services to customers via the mobile phone. However, the number of people who choose to adopt or use such technologies is still relatively low. Therefore, there is a need to assess the acceptance of such technologies to establish factors that hinder or promote customer’s intention to use mobile banking. Survey data collected from 452 consumers was analyzed to provide evidence. Results from the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using the SmartPLS 3.0 program indicated that perceived easy to use, perceived credibility, usefulness, attitude, perceived behavioral control and subjective norm are significant with respect to the customer’s intention to use mobile banking services. The results of the data analysis contribute to the body of knowledge by demonstrating that the above factors are critical in intention to use mobile banking in a developing country context. The finding of this study can also help marketers in the banking sector offer more suitable marketing strategies in their field in order to make higher attractiveness with mobile banking


Author(s):  
Ali Acilar

Mobile phones are one of the fastest-adopted innovations in history. Globally, mobile phones have rapidly become widespread in most parts of the world, especially among the young generation. Young people constitute an important and significant part of mobile phone users. In this study, the author examined the factors affecting mobile phone use among undergraduate students in a developing country. The research data was collected through a convenience sample of undergraduate students in a public university in Turkey. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the underlying factors in mobile phone use. Nine factors are identified from the results of factor analysis such as “Information,” “Attitude,” “Mobility,” “Functional service,” “Entertainment/Relaxation,” “Convenience,” “Fashion,” “Sense of security,” and “Multimedia service”.


Metamorphosis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-58
Author(s):  
Lemohang Molobi ◽  
Sajal Kabiraj ◽  
Md. Nur Alam Siddik

This research explores factors associated with the use of the Uber application, a successful sharing economy innovation, in South Africa. The exploratory research adapted a technology acceptance model with two other factors, perceived risks and company characteristics on behavioural intention to utilize Uber. Using a survey data of 396 respondents, this research empirically finds that ease of use, company characteristics, attitude, perceived usefulness, and level of education have significant positive impacts on behavioural intention to use Uber applications. Meanwhile, gender and age groups have negative impacts on behavioural intention. Furthermore, the study found that perceived risk has a negative impact on behavioural intention to use Uber. The research findings are of significance for management on how user insights can be applied to take advantage of new prospects to innovate and to expand their businesses and for policymakers on how to seize the opportunities presented by such innovation and develop appropriate policy frameworks.


The boom in the information technology (IT) has drastically changed the life style of people today. The electronic commerce plays a vital role in digital revolution by transforming the Indian consumer’s buying behaviour, and the usage of smart phones, internet, etc., have radically increased among the Indian consumers. The IT revolution has brought a profound renovation in healthcare services too. The huge health information on internet and various healthcare apps available in market have led to the emergence of Electronic Healthcare Services (e-healthcare services). In most of the developed countries people use e-healthcare services to retrieve any kind of information regarding health. This mainly saves the time and energy of the people. The information with regards to health can be obtained from open sources, healthcare apps such as diet apps, fitness apps etc. Moreover, the mobile health apps such as Practo, Docsapp etc., do provide anytime assistance to the users. Today, due to rapid increase in IT usage for healthcare services by the consumers, it is quite essential to the measure the impact of health information provided by websites and apps to their users. The e-healthcare can be viewed as the future of healthcare which is focused on providing quick, better and affordable services to the customers. Therefore, this study attempts to examine the behavioural intention to use and actual usage of the e-healthcare services. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the student community in Manipal, Karnataka, and at most 267 students participated in the survey. This study provides an understanding to the researchers aiming at identifying the factors determining the behavioural intention to use e-healthcare services and actual usage. Further, the study brings out the first order dimensions to measure the second order dimension of perceived value of e-healthcare services


2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 429-450
Author(s):  
Barbara Jeanne Slazus ◽  
Geoffrey Bick

The widespread use of mobile phones and growth in internet penetration has created a unique opportunity to increase access to financial services. Financial Technology (FinTech) companies and mobile banking (m-banking) empower customers to use digital platforms to utilise financial services without the physical access requirements of traditional banking. This has led to the rise of FinTech firms that are disrupting traditional industry standards by servicing consumers through a range of digital channels and mobile devices. A new completely branchless bank, Bank Zero, is set to launch in South Africa in 2020 to exploit these opportunities. This consumer behavioural study focuses on analysing FinTech adoption in the South African market. An adapted mixed-method approach was used to identify the enabling and inhibiting factors that motivate consumers to adopt or reject m-banking. Qualitative research was initially conducted via in-depth interviews with 7 respondents. The most salient factors identified in the literature review were tested, and the results were used to develop a quantitative, online questionnaire. A convenience sample of 217 valid responses was collected, and the data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The EFA identified 6 influencing factors: four enabling and two inhibiting factors. The enabling factors that positively influenced FinTech adoption were: Utility, Socio-Economic Influencers, Mobile Device Trust and Youth. The two inhibiting factors were: Perceived Risks and Associated Costs. Interestingly, 74% of the 217 respondents indicated that they would join a completely branchless bank, using only their mobile phones and the internet to access banking services, showing a high propensity to branchless, m-banking. Finally, the Enhancement Criteria Model based on insights gained from the research findings, is proposed. This model provides recommendation criteria for existing and new FinTech providers who are looking to improve their business models. JEL Codes: D18, G40 Keywords: FinTech, mobile banking, m-banking, branchless banking, consumer behaviour, South Africa


Author(s):  
Pamela Clarke ◽  
Mthokozisi Kwazi Zuma ◽  
Ayuk Betrand Tambe ◽  
Liana Steenkamp ◽  
Xikombiso Gertrude Mbhenyane

Amongst the problems facing South Africa today are malnutrition and food insecurity, and there is a need for interventions and innovative strategies to address these. The aim of the study was to determine the contribution of caregivers’ knowledge of nutrition and household food security among children aged 0 to 60 months. A cross-sectional study design was applied using a quantitative approach. A convenience sample (n = 184) of caregiver–child pairs (for children 0 to 60 months) from the Dora Nginza Hospital Paediatric Outpatient Department was used. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect data on socio-economic factors, health status, household food security, and caregivers’ knowledge. In addition, interviews were conducted, and anthropometric measurements of children were taken to determine their nutritional status. The results indicate that most caregivers were female, and more than half completed high school, yet almost 75% were unemployed. Most of the caregivers (58.2%) were either overweight or obese. The results also show that only 33.2% of households were food secure, 29.3% were at risk of hunger, and 37.5% experienced hunger. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children in the study was high. A significant, slightly positive correlation was found between the body mass index of the caregiver and height for age. Poor socio-economic status and food inaccessibility were identified as possible underlying contributing factors to malnutrition, contributing to food insecurity and therefore poor dietary intake.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Solomiya Pysarevska ◽  
◽  
Victoriya Vaschuk ◽  
Zinoviy Yaremko ◽  
◽  
...  

The article analyzes how young people adhere to the axiomatic rule of life safety, which should be treated as the most dangerous factor in the use of mobile devices of modern information technologies with a factor whose influence on the human body is not established. As the first step to avoiding the undesirable effects of any potential dangers is to realize their presence in the human environment, so the purpose of this study is to find out what is the attitude of young people, including students, to the use of mobile phones and whether they comply with basic security measures. to minimize potential negative impact. The object of the study is the prerequisites for the formation of smartphone dependency in young people and awareness of the potential dangers of mobile use. The results of the study of the age at which students started using a mobile phone and the frequency of its use for various purposes revealed possible signs of development in students of smartphone dependence. This is evidenced by the high percentage of those who received a cellphone for use early (50–60% between 9–12 years old) and the almost constant use of half of the students surveyed. Because the earlier a mobile phone is used, the more adverse its effect on the human body, since children are more susceptible to electromagnetic radiation than adults. According to the survey, 30–40% of students began to actively use a mobile phone at a fairly early age – 6–8 years. It has been found that students are not aware of the potential dangers of using mobile phones. This is confirmed by the students' low level of knowledge and interest in the indicators that characterize phone security; a small proportion of those who consider the safety of the phone when choosing a mark and model along with other features; as well as a significant percentage of students who do not adhere to safety measures, including increasing the distance from the body while storing a mobile phone


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayed Omar Alami ◽  
Lisa Dulli ◽  
Leila Dal Santo ◽  
Sayed Haroon Rastagar ◽  
Sediq Seddiqi ◽  
...  

Background: Afghanistan ranks among the most disadvantaged globally for many key reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) indicators, despite important gains in the past decade. Youth (15 to 24 years) are a key audience for RMNCH information as they enter adulthood, marry and begin families; however, reaching Afghan youth with health information is challenging. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), including youth, experience additional challenges to obtaining health-related information and services. This study measured current and preferred RMNCH information channels to explore the feasibility of using mobile phone technology to provide RMNCH information to IDP youth in Afghanistan. Methods: We conducted a sub-group analysis of survey data from a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, formative assessment to understand current access to RMNCH information. The target population for this analysis includes 15-25-year-old male and female IDP youth from three Afghan Provinces. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 450 IDP youth were surveyed in the three provinces (225 male and 225 female). Access to RMNCH information outside of health facilities was limited. Mobile phone ownership was nearly universal among male participants, yet considerably lower among females; nearly all participants without personal phones reported access to phones when needed. Although few participants spontaneously mentioned mobile phones as a preferred source of RMNCH information, most male and female respondents reported they would be very or somewhat likely to use a free, mobile-phone-based system to access such information if offered. Conclusions: Given widespread access and considerable interest voiced by participants, mobile phones may be a viable way to reach IDP youth with important RMNCH health information in this fragile setting. Interventions should be designed and pilot-tested to identify the most appropriate platforms and information content and to further document feasibility and acceptability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1483
Author(s):  
Sayed Omar Alami ◽  
Lisa Dulli ◽  
Leila Dal Santo ◽  
Sayed Haroon Rastagar ◽  
Sediq Seddiqi ◽  
...  

Background: Afghanistan ranks among the most disadvantaged globally for many key reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) indicators, despite important gains in the past decade. Youth (15 to 24 years) are a key audience for RMNCH information as they enter adulthood, marry and begin families; however, reaching Afghan youth with health information is challenging. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), including youth, experience additional challenges to obtaining health-related information and services. This study measured current and preferred RMNCH information channels to explore the feasibility of using mobile phone technology to provide RMNCH information to IDP youth in Afghanistan. Methods: We conducted a sub-group analysis of survey data from a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, formative assessment to understand current access to RMNCH information. The target population for this analysis includes 15-25-year-old male and female IDP youth from three Afghan Provinces. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 450 IDP youth were surveyed in the three provinces (225 male and 225 female). Access to RMNCH information outside of health facilities was limited. Mobile phone ownership was nearly universal among male participants, yet considerably lower among females; nearly all participants without personal phones reported access to phones when needed. Although few participants spontaneously mentioned mobile phones as a preferred source of RMNCH information, most male and female respondents reported they would be very or somewhat likely to use a free, mobile-phone-based system to access such information if offered. Conclusions: Given widespread access and considerable interest voiced by participants, mobile phones may be a viable way to reach IDP youth with important RMNCH health information in this fragile setting. Interventions should be designed and pilot-tested to identify the most appropriate platforms and information content and to further document feasibility and acceptability.


Author(s):  
Burçe Çelik ◽  
Fırat Erdoğmuş

This article presents a critical literature review of the major works on mobile phone culture, which examine the whys and wherefores of this technology's popularity in different socio-economic and cultural landscapes. Thus, it focuses particularly on how these multiplicities and varieties have been discussed, analyzed and researched in the existing mobile phone literature. There are different lines of research which can be categorized as following: the major works (mostly empirical studies whose findings are based on fieldwork) that demonstrate the mobile phone's use and instrumental value for people who are physically mobile and need instantaneous and spontaneous connections with others; the works that focus on the social promise of the mobile phone such as providing a means of social acceptance, through implying social status and particular lifestyles to polish one's face and gain recognition in social relations; and finally the studies that emphasize the sensing, affecting and affected, and fantasies of the body and the collective in contemplating the bond between body and mobile phone.


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