Understanding mobile portal app use: a theoretical extension of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT).
- 1Pharmacy Administration and Public Health, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, USA.
- 2Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, Plainview, NY, USA.
- 3Jericho High School, Jericho, NY, USA.
Abstract
Mobile patient portal apps play an increasingly important role in facilitating timely access to health information, improving patient-provider communication, supporting care coordination, and enabling chronic disease management. Despite these benefits, the widespread adoption of these apps remains limited. This study aimed to identify key factors associated with mobile portal app use by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with additional psychological and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online platform to recruit U.S. adults. A total of 386 valid responses were included in the analyses. Multivariable regression analyses were performed while adjusting for relevant covariates to examine factors associated with behavioral intention and mobile portal app use. Subjective norm (SN) was positively associated with perceived usefulness (PU), and PU was positively associated with behavioral intention. Greater perceived ease of use (PEOU) and outcome expectancy (OE), as well as lower perceived privacy risk, were associated with stronger intention. In addition, perceived behavioral control (PBC) moderated the relationship between intention and reported app use, such that intention was more strongly associated with use among individuals with greater PBC. This study extends UTAUT by incorporating privacy risk as an additional determinant and PBC as a moderator of the relationship between behavioral intention and app use. These findings provide theoretical and practical insights that may inform efforts to develop targeted interventions and optimize app features to promote mobile portal app use.
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BibTeX
@article{park2026understanding,
title = {{Understanding mobile portal app use: a theoretical extension of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT).}},
author = {Taehwan Park and Ethan Sung and Brian Kim and Juha Lee and Jihoo Yun},
journal = {MHealth},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.21037/mhealth-2026-0048},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999798},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Understanding mobile portal app use: a theoretical extension of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT).
AU - Taehwan Park
AU - Ethan Sung
AU - Brian Kim
AU - Juha Lee
AU - Jihoo Yun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - MHealth
DO - 10.21037/mhealth-2026-0048
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999798
AB - Mobile patient portal apps play an increasingly important role in facilitating timely access to health information, improving patient-provider communication, supporting care coordination, and enabling chronic disease management. Despite these benefits, the widespread adoption of these apps remains limited. This study aimed to identify key factors associated with mobile portal app use by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with additional psychological and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online platform to recruit U.S. adults. A total of 386 valid responses were included in the analyses. Multivariable regression analyses were performed while adjusting for relevant covariates to examine factors associated with behavioral intention and mobile portal app use. Subjective norm (SN) was positively associated with perceived usefulness (PU), and PU was positively associated with behavioral intention. Greater perceived ease of use (PEOU) and outcome expectancy (OE), as well as lower perceived privacy risk, were associated with stronger intention. In addition, perceived behavioral control (PBC) moderated the relationship between intention and reported app use, such that intention was more strongly associated with use among individuals with greater PBC. This study extends UTAUT by incorporating privacy risk as an additional determinant and PBC as a moderator of the relationship between behavioral intention and app use. These findings provide theoretical and practical insights that may inform efforts to develop targeted interventions and optimize app features to promote mobile portal app use.
SN - 2306-9740
ER -