Factors influencing the elderly’s behavioural intention to use smart home technologies in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In recent years, smart home technologies have offered opportunities for elderly people to manage their daily health-related activities. Despite the advancement in smart home technology (SHT), the level of end-user acceptance among elderly people is still low. This study proposes an SHT framework by examining the determinants of elderly behavioural intention (BI) to use smart home technologies by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. This study uses the quantitative approach to survey about 486 elderly people in Saudi Arabia, and it applies the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) technique to perform the data analysis. Findings reveal that culture influence and technology awareness are significant factors in determining the BI to use SHT among elderly people. The study also finds that attitude mediates the relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and behavioural intention. We find that region and education moderate the relationships between culture influence, technology awareness, and behavioural intention. This study theoretically extends the UTAUT theory by including external constructs: culture influence, technology awareness, attitude, education, and region.

A study on community older people’s willingness to use smart home—an extended technology acceptance model with intergenerational relationships

“…Several studies have examined the factors that influence the acceptance of smart home services by older adults, including personal and environmental perception factors. Personal perception factors comprise perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived cost ( 16 ), facilitating conditions ( 7 ),technology anxiety ( 17 ), and security and privacy concerns ( 16–18 ). Environmental perception factors include social influence ( 7 , 18 ), subjective norms ( 15 ), cultural influence ( 7 ), family management policies, and government policies ( 18 ).…”

“…Numerous studies have shown that smart home services are beneficial to the well-being of the older adult ( 6 ). The benefits of smart home services include independent living, improved healthcare, social involvement, safety, cost reduction, and decision making ( 7 ). Therefore, smart home services can help maintain independence and improve the quality of life ( 8 ).…”

Adoption of Internet of Things: A systematic literature review and future research agenda

“…The highest used mediators in the context of IoT adoption are attitude with a frequency of 25, perceived usefulness (17 times), behavioral intention (13 times), and “perceived ease of use.” The other mediators are “perceived risk” (4 times), public value (3 times), trust (3 times), perceived value (3 times), facilitation appropriation (2 times), subjective norm (1 time), value co‐creation (1 time), information quality (1 time), system quality (1 time), motivation (1 time) and personal innovation (1 time). Nawi et al (2022) reported that attitude plays a mediating role between the “performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, perceived enjoyment, perceived trust, perceived risk” and “acceptance of IoT.” Similarly, Maswadi et al (2022) found a significant mediating role of attitude between “effort expectancy, performance expectancy” and “behavioral intention.” Chohan et al (2021) validated a mediating effect of public value between “information privacy value, digital society affinity, public trust value” and “continuous usage intention.” Also, they have found the partial mediation of public value between “social influence value, citizens’ empowerment value” and “continuous usage intention.”…”

“…reported that attitude plays a mediating role between the "performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, perceived enjoyment, perceived trust, perceived risk" and "acceptance of IoT." Similarly,Maswadi et al (2022) found a significant mediating role of attitude between "effort expectancy, performance expectancy" and "behavioral intention. "Chohan et al (2021) validated a mediating effect of public value between "information privacy value, digital society affinity, public trust value" and "continuous usage intention."…”

Internet of things in Saudi public healthcare organizations: The moderating role of facilitating conditions

“…Few studies have looked at the question of IoTHD adoption in emerging nations like Saudi Arabia (Maswadi et al, 2022). The government is improving Saudi Arabia's infrastructure, while the elderly with chronic disease usage of technology is low.…”