Acceptance of E-Health among the Elderly in Nantong China Based on the Technology Acceptance Model

As China's population ages, Nantong City faces severe challenges. Deep aging places enormous pressure on the healthcare system. E-health uses digital technology to improve care efficiency, which is expected to ease this burden. However, adoption rates among older adults remain low, constrained by perceptions of low utility, difficulty in use, negative attitudes, and social influences. This study, grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model, aims to investigate the acceptance of E-health systems among Nantong's elderly population. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire measured perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward use, social influence and behavioral intention to use. This study was conducted through deductive surveys and questionnaire surveys. The research method used is convenience sampling. Its foundational theory is the technology acceptance theory. The population consists of elderly people aged 65 and above in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China, totaling 1,968,200. The sample size was 385 people. This study used SPSS software for descriptive analysis, reliability-validity analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. This study demonstrates that four dimensions of acceptance of e-health use among older adults (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, attitudes toward use) are significantly positively correlated with behavioral intention to use.

Technology Acceptance Model, Elderly, E-health, Nantong

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