Open AccessDeveloping a Technology Acceptability and Usage Survey (TAUS) for mHealth Intervention Planning and Evaluation in Nigeria: Pilot Study
Author(s) -
Kathleen Lynch,
Tom Atkinson,
Adeleye Dorcas Omisore,
O. Famurewa,
Olalekan Olasehinde,
Oluwole Odujoko,
Olusegun Isaac Alatise,
Adedeji A. Egberongbe,
T. Peter Kingham,
Elizabeth A. Morris,
Elizabeth Sutton
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
jmir formative research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2561-326X
DOI - 10.2196/34035
Subject(s) - mhealth , the internet , intervention (counseling) , face validity , developing country , medicine , measure (data warehouse) , sample (material) , medical education , psychological intervention , computer science , nursing , world wide web , psychometrics , clinical psychology , database , economics , economic growth , chemistry , chromatography
Background Technology acceptability and usage surveys (TAUS) are brief questionnaires that measure technology comfort, typical daily use, and access in a population. However, current measures are not adapted to low- and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts. Objective The objective of this pilot study was to develop a TAUS that could be used to inform the implementation of a mobile health (mHealth) intervention in Nigeria. Methods A literature review of validated technology comfort and usage scales was conducted to identify candidate items. The draft measure was reviewed for face validity by an expert panel comprised of clinicians and researchers with cultural, methodological, and clinical expertise. The measure was piloted by radiologists at an oncology symposium in Nigeria. Results After expert review, the final measure included 18 items organized into 3 domains: (1) comfort with using mobile applications, (2) reliability of internet or electricity, and (3) attitudes toward using computers or mobile applications in clinical practice. The pilot sample (n=16) reported high levels of comfort and acceptability toward using mHealth applications in the clinical setting but faced numerous infrastructure challenges. Conclusions Pilot results indicate that the TAUS may be a feasible and appropriate measure for assessing technology usage and acceptability in LMIC clinical contexts. Dedicating a domain to technology infrastructure and access yielded valuable insights for program implementation.