Understanding older adults’ acceptance of Chatbots in healthcare delivery: an extended UTAUT model

Abstract

BackgroundChatbots are increasingly integrated into the lives of older adults to assist with health and wellness tasks. This study aimed to understand the factors that enhance older adults’ acceptance of chatbots in healthcare delivery.MethodsThis study proposed an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT), including aging factors of perceived physical condition, self-actualization needs, and technology anxiety. The model was tested by PLS (Partial Least Squares) with data collected from 428 Chinese citizens aged 60 and above.ResultsThe results reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence significantly affected older adults’ behavioral intention to use chatbots. The facilitating conditions, self-actualization needs, and perceived physical condition significantly affected the actual use behavior of chatbots by older adults, whereas technology anxiety did not. Furthermore, the influence of effort expectancy and social influence on behavioral intention were moderated by experience.ConclusionThe behavioral intentions of older adults with low experience are more strongly influenced by social influences and effort expectancy. Furthermore, healthcare providers, designers, and policymakers should emphasize the impact of facilitating conditions, self-actualization needs, and perceived physical conditions on chatbot applications among older adults.