%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications Inc.
%V 16
%N 5
%P e125
%T Cognitive Factors of Using Health Apps: Systematic Analysis of Relationships Among Health Consciousness, Health Information Orientation, eHealth Literacy, and Health App Use Efficacy
%A Cho,Jaehee
%A Park,Dongjin
%A Lee,H Erin
%+ School of Communication, Hallym University, #10222 Dasan Building, 39 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, , Republic of Korea, 82 33 248 1929, dongjinpark@hallym.ac.kr
%K health apps
%K health consciousness
%K health information orientation
%K eHealth literacy
%K health app use efficacy
%D 2014
%7 09.05.2014
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Interest in smartphone health apps has been increasing recently. However, we have little understanding of the cognitive and motivational factors that influence the extent of health-app use. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of four cognitive factors—health consciousness, health information orientation, eHealth literacy, and health-app use efficacy—on the extent of health-app use. It also explored the influence of two different use patterns—information and information-behavior use of health apps—with regard to the relationships among the main study variables. Methods: We collected and analyzed 765 surveys in South Korea. According to the results, there was a negligible gender difference: males (50.6%, 387/765) and females (49.4%, 378/765). All participants were adults whose ages ranged from 19 to 59. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, we used a path analysis as a specific form of structural equation modeling. Results: Through a path analysis, we discovered that individuals’ health consciousness had a direct effect on their use of health apps. However, unlike the initial expectations, the effects of health information orientation and eHealth literacy on health-app use were mediated by health-app use efficacy. Conclusions: The results from the path analysis addressed a significant direct effect of health consciousness as well as strong mediating effects of health-app use efficacy. These findings contribute to widening our comprehension of the new, digital dimensions of health management, particularly those revolving around mobile technology. 
%M 24824062
%R 10.2196/jmir.3283
%U http://www.jmir.org/2014/5/e125/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3283
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24824062