Keywords

Seniors, technology acceptance, usability

Abstract

The formative study investigated health information for seniors on the Internet with consideration of usability of the selected system, user's perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, system use, and performance, i.e. information retention. A theoretical model was developed by the researcher, i.e. JAM's Senior Health Information Technology Acceptance Model, as an enhanced version of the traditional Davis Technology Acceptance Model. The new model provided the critical relationship between the senior health information system and other technology acceptance components. Computer self-efficacy was added to the hypothetical model to better explain the seniors' technology usage and performance. The hypotheses and the research plan included: four professional experts, who assessed the site for usability, and 68 of 145 seniors who began the survey completed a three-part senior participant survey. Data was collected by a third party and the author. Implications for seniors, professionals, and society are presented. The senior population is the subject of the research. Professionals working with seniors, the Internet, health information, and technology acceptance are served by the formative study to further clarify the relationship of the issues. The topic is considered a societal issue as a large segment of the population is composed of seniors. Their welfare and interests impact society and other generations. The results suggested computer self-efficacy is irrelevant for perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness however self-efficacy contributed to information retention. Usability affects perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. There is a highly significant, though not very strong, relation between those variables. Perceived usefulness is a good indicator of a return visit to the site and senior recommendations of the site to others. These are two new variables that were not included in the model. There is no relationship between usability and computer self-efficacy. There was significance between usability and system use, but little relevance has pointed toward information retention (IR). The results of the analysis suggest that the hypothesized model information retention level did not predict senior IR based on human factor professionals' and senior users' usability ratings. Attrition according to qualitative feedback was the result of browser and equipment issues, ease of use and navigation. Future research endeavors should be devoted to usability and use of other systems for the senior population.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2007

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Sivo, Stephen

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Educational Research, Technology, and Leadership

Degree Program

Education

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001582

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001582

Language

English

Release Date

April 2008

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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