FACTORS DETERMINING THE USE OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS BY SENIORS AS A TOOL FOR ACCESSING MEDICATION TREATMENT

Abstract

To provide high-quality medication treatment to seniors using mobile applications, expand and develop the market for applications of this functional group, it is necessary to conduct a study of the factors influencing the attitude of older people to these applications. The aim is to study the factors determining the acceptance and use of mobile applications for the provision of medication treatment by seniors. Materials and methods. The survey involved 368 older mobile app consumers. Healthcare applications (mHealth), applications of pharmacy chains and individual pharmacies, medicine search applications (aggregators of medicines and their prices) were investigated. The survey was conducted by personal oral survey (24.5%) and online survey (75.5%) using a structured questionnaire. Results and discussion. 14 shaping factors and 13 maintaining factors of mobile app adoption and use by seniors were identified and studied. A special attitude of seniors towards various groups of mobile applications has been established. The main motivational incentives and barriers to the selection and use of mobile applications (10 parameters each) were identified and studied. Personal reasons that prevent the use of applications are shown. Particular attention is paid to personal motivational barriers in the age groups of older people from 65 to 80 years and 80 years and older. Conclusion. The results allowed to outline the main vectors for further improvement of mobile applications for the provision of medication treatment to seniors.