Investigating e-health readiness of higher education institution students

Abstract

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are important for improving healthcare services worldwide. Using tools related to ICTs such as cell phones, video conferencing, computers enhances the delivery of health services as well as electronic health (e-health). Many countries have introduced and implemented e-health, but most research and e-health implementation are still fragmented, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this study investigated the e-health readiness of higher education institution students to use e-health. The study achieved this by identifying the readiness factors that affect the adoption of e-health. The study was based on the conceptual framework (technology readiness and acceptance model for e-health) which was developed by integrating the technology readiness index model and the technology acceptance model. To carry out this study, a positivist paradigm and a quantitative approach were followed where data was collected from the university of Botswana students using a survey questionnaire. The study established that University of Botswana students ' optimism, innovativeness, discomfort and insecurity influence e-health perceived ease of use. However, only optimism and discomfort influence e-health perceived usefulness whereas innovativeness and insecurity did not influence e-health perceived usefulness. Additionally, the study found out that e-health perceived usefulness and e-health perceived ease of use have an influence on e-health adoption. The implications of these findings mean that University of Botswana students being optimistic, their innovativeness, discomfort and insecurity towards e-health technology influence the way they perceive the ease of use of the e-health technology. The university of Botswana students' views on optimism and discomfort of e-health technology influence their perception on the usefulness of e-health technology. In difference, the University of Botswana students ' views on innovativeness and insecurity of e-health technology does not technology influence their perception on the usefulness of e-health technology. Furthermore, the implication of the study results is that the University of Botswana students' views also show that e-health perceived usefulness and e-health perceived ease of use have an influence on e-health adoption.