Motivational Influences Affecting Middle-Aged and Elderly Users’ Participation Intention in Health-Related Social Media

Abstract

Social media provide users with multi-directional dialogue for creating and sharing health information that can effectively promote the self-management of health. In regard to the ‘greying’ trend in social media, most researchers have studied the health-related social media (HRSM) acceptance status and use behavior of middle-aged and elderly people, and have explored the role of HRSM in this group. However, the continuous participation of users is the key to the successful operation of HRSM, and is an essential prerequisite for the subsequent HRSM behavior habits of middle-aged and elderly people. Therefore, we aimed to explore what motivations drive the first use of HRSM among middle-aged and older adults, and the impact of their perception of HRSM, after personal use, on their intention to use it continually. In the study, we used the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to analyze data collected from online questionnaires. The results showed that a self-protection motivation and a social motivation promoted the initial participation of middle-aged and elderly individuals. In addition, these people experienced deeper levels of perceived usefulness and perceived entertainment after their initial participation. The results also revealed that these two perceptions could positively influence middle-aged and elderly individuals’ intention to continue with their participation. Our findings should help service platforms to better understand the needs of middle-aged and elderly users. This would help researchers and practitioners to gain a more complete understanding of the motivation of middle-aged and elderly people for participating in HRSM, and the related impacts this may have.

Older adults in the digital health era: insights on the digital health related knowledge, habits and attitudes of the 65 year and older population

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Assessing the Quality of Health Content on Arabic Digital Platforms: Insights from Healthcare Professionals and the Public

“…Regarding the "gray" trend in social media, most researchers have studied the acceptance status of health-related social media (HRSM) and usage behavior in middle-aged and older people, they explored the role of HRSM in this group. However, the continuous participation of users is the key to the successful operation of HRM and is a prerequisite for the subsequent behavioral habits of HRM of middle-aged and elderly people (Cao et al, 2022). Haghi et al (2017) study aims to explain the role of health websites` visual structure in users' views on their quality and reliability as well as its role in obtaining health information by users.…”

Use of social networks in the elderly: impact on well-being and health-related decision making

“…In a study on the influence of social networks on health motivation, it was reported that elderly people find the information useful and entertaining, playing an important role in their motivation, directly encouraging them to continue using the tools proposed by physicians 6 . A cross-sectional study including 100 participants aged 60 years or older, recruited from geriatrics clinics of a tertiary care university, reported that the use of mobile phone was of 55% and it was associated 70% of lower probability of having a diagnosis of depression after age, sex, partner status, comorbidities and global cognitive performance (p < 0.005) 7 .…”