Behavior Intention of Chronic Illness Patients in Malaysia to Use IoT-based Healthcare Services

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a trend in the healthcare industry to develop innovative solutions that enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Healthcare has become more accessible, affordable, and efficient to sensors, wearables, and health monitors. The healthcare industry's adoption of the Internet of Things is lagging behind other sectors despite its many benefits. This study aims to investigate the extent to which chronic patients in Malaysia are using healthcare services made possible by the Internet of Things. To that end, this study proposes a unified framework to examine how these highlighted factors affect Behavioral Intention (BI) with regard to adopting IoT healthcare services. The innovation here is in bringing together three distinct theories: i) the Technology-Organization-Environment Framework (TOE), which is a framework for understanding how companies adopt new technologies; ii) the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT); and iii) the Social Exchange Theory (SE). Patients in Malaysia who are coping with long-term health issues were surveyed online. This study also employs SPSS and Smart Partial Least Square (Smart PLS) for data analysis. Eleven hypothesized predictive components have been investigated. The results showed that chronic illness patients' BI towards adopting IoT solutions was considerably impacted by both individual and technological factors and related aspects. The impact of BI on Use Behaviour (UB) also showed similar outcomes. Moreover, trust somewhat mediates the impact of both individual and technological factors on BI. The findings of this investigation will be beneficial to policymakers and suppliers of healthcare in that country. Additionally, the patients and their family members would gain benefits from the study due to the fact that the delivery of comprehensive treatment, especially in the field of chronic disease management, will be improved through IoT-healthcare services. The Internet of Things will also let medical staff function remotely and professionally.