Challenges for the adoption of ICT for diabetes self‐management in South Africa

Abstract

The increasing disease burden in developing countries inhibits the provision of quality care to citizens. However, the increased availability of information communication and technology (ICT) tools makes this a viable option for inclusion in primary health care. Even so, barriers are impeding the successful adoption and usage of ICT tools in health care contexts. This research focuses on one such context to identify the challenges and barriers for the adoption of ICT tools for diabetes self‐management in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The extended technology acceptance model (TAM) and four factors (educational, technological, economic, and sociocultural factors) were identified as a basis for investigation. Evidence was gathered from a sample of 131 diabetic patients using semistructured interviews. These factors, together with TAM constructs, explore how patients interact with ICT and their attitudes towards the use of ICT for diabetes self‐management. The results indicate that all four factors form barriers to ICT adoption for diabetes self‐management. These findings provide a basis to inform how future interventions at the primary health care level may be developed to overcome the identified barriers in efforts to integrate ICT tools into diabetic patients' daily self‐management routines.

Barriers for User Acceptance of Mobile Health Applications for Diabetic Patients: Applying the UTAUT Model

“…This study also used the UTAUT model [16]. The research found that behavioural intention did not translate into usage [17]. This was due to the fact that almost 70% of respondents did not use forms of ICT, such as m-health applications, for their diabetes self-management.…”

“…Based on the areas identified by the study above [17], the objective of this study is to determine barriers for the acceptance of diabetes m-health applications, given the currently low levels of m-health use for diabetes self-management in the Western Cape.…”

“…With the increasing inequalities amongst different ethnicities, there are disparities between income, access, education and health literacy amongst LMICs. Subsequently, it may impact diabetes self-management as access to information is essential for successful self-management [30].…”

“…This research used qualitative data collected from 26% of respondents used in the initial study, User acceptance of ICT for diabetes self-management in the Western Cape, South Africa [17]. The initial study analysed quantitative data from 498 respondents using an online survey.…”

Impact of Socio-Demographic Factors on the Acceptance of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) for Diabetes Self-care

“…This research provides new moderation variables in the South African context. Additionally, it was used in a study conducted in the Western Cape on the usage of ICT for diabetes self-management [29]. In that study, it was found that despite a high behavioural intention, there is low usage to almost 70% of the target population not using forms of ICT, such as mobile health.…”