Digital Health Transformation in Saudi Arabia: Examining the Impact of Health Information Seeking on M-Health Adoption during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigates the intention of Saudi Arabian users to adopt mobile health (m-health) applications through the lens of the United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. The research highlights the growing importance of m-health solutions in Saudi Arabia, especially in the context of the country's Vision 2030 development agenda and the accelerated adoption of e-health/m-health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key findings indicate that health information seeking, and social influence are significant factors driving users' intentions to adopt m-health applications, while Performance Expectancy (PE) is not a primary driver. Additionally, Effort Expectancy (EE) positively influences users' behavioral intentions. Improving health information features in these applications could facilitate broader adoption. This research contributes to the existing literature on information systems and m-health adoption by shedding light on the critical factors influencing user intentions in a developing context. However, the study does not account for all potential technological and external variables that could affect adoption behavior. Future research, particularly qualitative or mixed-method studies, should explore the impact of age on m-health adoption, as the current findings primarily reflect younger users.