The Analysis of influential Factors for the Acceptability of the Health Information Website

Abstract

This study suggested a new research model using TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) to empirically and theoretically verify the acceptance behavior of the internet users for the health information website, as the availability of the health information through the internet website is rapidly increasing. In this proposed research model: the Subject Norm, Output Quality, and the Perceived Playfulness were used as the independent variables; TAM variables, including the Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude Toward Use, and the Behavioral Intention were used as the mediator variables; and the Actual Use and the Website Loyalty were used as the dependent variables to measure the acceptability. The sample included the members of the Health Guide (http://www.healthguide.or.kr), and the SEM(Structural Equation Model) were used to empirically verify the hypotheses of the research model. The concluded study results analyzed through the verification of the hypotheses were as follows: First, the individual subjective norm affected the continuous use of the website (Website Loyalty); Second, the output quality was the significant key factor to positively affect the playfulness, usefulness, ease of use, and the loyalty. The most hypotheses of the conventional TAM were supported; Third, the behavioral intention significantly affected the actual use and the loyalty; Fourth, the mediating effect of the TAM was very significant; Fifth, male users were highly acceptable to the health information website than female users. The acceptance of those who engaged in the health and medical professions were higher than that of those who in any other profession. The significance of this study was to show that the acceptability evaluation for the health information website can also be described by the extended TAM applying the evaluation tool for the acceptability of website to the acceptability evaluation for the health information website.