Applying UTAUT2 to Explain the Use of Physical Activity Logger Applications Among Young Elderly

Abstract

Digital wellness technologies have been proposed as a promising way to promote the levels of physical activity and to solve the prevalent problem of physical inactivity among elderly people. In this study, we propose and test a research model for explaining the acceptance and use of these technologies in the case of the young elderly segment (people aged 60–75 years) and physical activity logger applications. The proposed model is theoretically founded on UTAUT2, and it is empirically tested by using the data collected from 115 Finnish young elderly users of a physical activity logger application and analysed with partial least squares based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). We find habit to act as the strongest antecedent of use intention, followed by performance expectancy and hedonic motivation with approximately equally strong effects. In contrast, the effects of effort expectancy and social influence on use intention were found as statistically not significant.