The role of support and sustainability elements in the adoption of an online self-management support system for chronic illnesses

The direct cost of treating chronic disease in Canada has risen to an average of 58% of healthcare spending. Thus, more attention is being directed to technologically supported health self-management and lifestyle change, to help patients mitigate and manage their own conditions. This study investigates how support elements (decision support and education) and sustainability elements (rewards systems), can help to motivate patients to adopt proposed technologies. A proposed model was tested using data collected from two potential user groups: 198 online and 83 in-person, using an identical survey. Although the system was built and ready to use at the time this study was conducted, in order to keep the experience of both groups identical, a video simulation (of the system) was used to familiarize both groups of users with the system. The study reveals that: individual perceptions on usability, ease of use, and hedonic motivation were influenced by the proposed support elements. Support elements enhance user perceptions of usability and ease of use, while sustainability elements positively affect user motivations, thus encouraging their decisions to adopt and use the technology. The study implies that, for better success at helping patients to self-manage their health, special attention should be paid to support and sustainability elements.