Primary Care in the Digital Age: is mHealth the answer? : A Quantitative Study Assessing Factors Influencing Young Elderly Swedes' Attitudes Towards mHealth for Primary Healthcare

Abstract: The combination of declining birth rates and an aging Swedish population presents challenges for the government in terms of accommodating and providing for the needs of a larger and older population. This demographic shift will exert significant pressure on the public sector, particularly the healthcare system. The potential of digitized healthcare to address the challenges posed by the aging population is significant, and mHealth technologies may be part of the solution to addressing these challenges. This study seeks to examine and quantify the key factors that influence the attitudes of young elderly (ages 45-60) individuals in Sweden towards the adoption of mHealth technologies. Specifically, the research aims to assess the factors that impact willingness to adopt technologies for managing primary healthcare needs. By identifying and measuring these influencing factors, the study strives to contribute to a better understanding of the drivers behind the adoption of mHealth solutions among this demographic. The study employs a single-method research design with a deductive empirical approach, using an online survey to collect quantitative data through a snowballing sampling technique. The study introduced three new variables (General Technology Experience, Healthcare Technology Experience, and Security and Privacy) and three new moderators (Being a Parent, Highest Level of Education, and Frequency of Primary Care Visits) to the widely recognized UTAUT framework. The results were analyzed using Excel and SPSS to identify patterns, relationships, and trends that emerged from the empirical data. Via analysis of the collected survey data, it was found that Performance Expectancy strongly influences the adoption of mHealth technologies among young elderly Swedes. Social Influence and Security and Privacy have minimal impact on adoption decisions. Security and Privacy show a negative correlation to willingness to adopt, indicating mistrust. Higher education levels are associated with digital literacy and belief in technology's job performance benefits. Lower education levels correlate with higher social influence. Individuals visiting primary care 2-3 times a year exhibit higher technology experience and social influence.