USER PERCEPTION ON HEALTHCARE MOBILE APPLICATION AMONG RESIDENTS IN ACCRA

ABSTRACT

Mobile application have the potential to make a necessary change in global delivery and management, being beneficial to both patients and governments. The benefits it brings to patients is that quality of delivered healthcare can be enhanced, making it easier to access and use medical services The purpose of the study was to explore user perception of impact that healthcare mobile applications have on residents in Accra who have adopted it to manage their health in Ghana. In view of this a quantitative research approach using questionnaires was adopted for the study. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed through a convenient sampling approach. Out of the 150 questionnaire administered 120 were returned and only 100 were deemed fit to be used for final analysis. Data collected from respondent were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Data was analysed and presented using descriptive statistics tables.

Overall, in was indicative that the first 3 most used healthcare mobile applications by respondents was healthcare mobile applications that enables a person to perform physical exercises or to workout. Followed by reproductive health apps, which are generally, use by women to track their reproductive cycles, and then application that provided individuals with Updates or news on their general wellness and wellbeing. For example, the first of the most used application was expected as most of the respondents were females and so one would expect that having an application to monitor their reproductive cycle in not farfetched.

The impact that the healthcare mobile application had on their lives was first identified not be significant. Individuals do not find satisfaction with application in improving their health.

Additionally, individuals did not also find the applications as aiding them to reduce the time involved in seeking healthcare.

Individuals did not also find the application as aiding them to in reduce the cost involved in seeking healthcare. On the whole, user of healthcare mobile applications did so see the application to be impacting on their health. Regarding challenges, the study found out that the first three most challenges that respondents were faced with was Bad network connectivity, followed by high cost in using the application and then the lack of technical support in using the application.