The Impact of User's Perceived Ability on Online Health Information Acceptance

The purpose of this study was to explain how perceived ability affects users' acceptance of online health information in Korea. Data were collected by a Web-based survey, and, in total, 449 samples were used for final analysis. The hypothetical model of this study was based on the Technology Acceptance Model. A structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationship between the included variables. The final model with appropriate relations exhibited an adequate fit to the data. This study provides evidence that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived credibility significantly affect how individuals use health information from the Internet. The subjective health knowledge and Internet efficacy exerted strong indirect effects on users' attitude and intention to use the online health information via the mediators of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived credibility. This study supports the hypothesis that the perceived ability of users is related to their acceptance of online health information. Users' perceived ability, including subjective health knowledge and Internet efficacy, was confirmed as a prerequisite for their health information use on the Internet. The results demonstrated that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived credibility are substantive mediators. Future research should consider a wider array of characteristics of health information and users and incorporate these characteristics for the provision of more useful, user-centered health information.