Understanding the Antecedents and Effects of mHealth App Use in Pandemics: A Sequential Mixed-Method Investigation.

Pandemics such as COVID-19 pose serious threats to public health and disrupt the established systems for obtaining healthcare services. Mobile health (mHealth) apps serve the general public as a potential method for coping with these exogenous challenges. However, prior research has rarely discussed the antecedents and effects of mHealth apps and their use as a coping method during pandemics. Based on the technology acceptance model, empowerment theory, and event theory, we developed a research model to examine the antecedents (technology characteristics and event strength) and effects (psychological empowerment) of mHealth apps and their use. We tested this research model through a sequential mixed-method investigation. First, a quantitative study based on 402 Chinese mHealth users who used the apps during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to validate the theoretical model. A follow-up qualitative study of 191 online articles and reviews on mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to cross-validate the results and explain the unsupported findings of the quantitative study. The results show that (1) the mHealth app characteristics (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) positively affect mHealth app use; (2) mHealth app use positively affects the psychological empowerment of mHealth users; and (3) the characteristics of pandemic events (event criticality and event disruption) have positive moderating effects on the relationship between mHealth app characteristics and mHealth app use. This study explains the role of mHealth apps in the COVID-19 pandemic on the micro-level, which has implications for the ways in which mHealth apps are used in response to public pandemics.

User empowerment and well‐being with mHealth apps during pandemics: A mix‐methods investigation in China

As a healthcare ICT4D solution, mobile health (mHealth) can potentially improve users' well‐being during pandemics, especially in developing countries with limited healthcare resources. Recent ICT4D research reveals that providing end‐users with access to ICT is insufficient for improving well‐being and, thus, understanding how mHealth empowers end‐users to enhance well‐being against stressful events is important. However, prior research has rarely discussed the issue of empowerment in the domain of mHealth or the context of major disruptive events. This paper contributes to the literature by conceptualizing the psychological empowerment of mHealth users (PEMU) and investigating its nomological network during pandemics. Drawing upon theories of psychological empowerment and event characteristics, we developed a research model and tested it through a mixed‐methods investigation, containing a quantitative study with 602 Chinese mHealth users during COVID‐19 and a follow‐up qualitative study of 326 online articles and reviews. We found that PEMU, driven by three technological characteristics (perceived response efficacy, ease of use, and mHealth quality), affects well‐being through both (a) a stress‐buffering effect, which counterbalances the detrimental, stress‐increasing effects of event criticality and disruption, and (b) a vitality‐stimulating effect, which is intensified by event criticality. These findings have important implications for ICT4D research and practice. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

IT-business alignment, big data analytics capability, and strategic decision-making: Moderating roles of event criticality and disruption of COVID-19.

Prior research has confirmed the importance of IT-business alignment (ITBA) and big data analytics capability (BDAC) in supporting firms' strategic decision-making under normal circumstances. However, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly changed firms' strategic decision-making landscapes and raised questions regarding the effects of ITBA and BDAC on strategic decision-making as conditioned by COVID-19 characteristics. In this study, we contextualize two important event impact factors (i.e., event criticality and event disruption) in the context of COVID-19 and examine their contingent roles in the effects of ITBA and BDAC on strategic decision-making. Our analyses, based on two-round, multi-respondents matched survey data collected from 175 Chinese firms to elucidate the differential moderating roles of event criticality and disruption of COVID-19 in the impact of ITBA and BDAC on strategic decision speed and quality. The results indicate the event criticality of COVID-19 strengthens the effects of ITBA on decision speed and quality but weakens the influence of BDAC on decision quality. Meanwhile, the event disruption of COVID-19 weakens the influence of ITBA on decision speed and quality but strengthens the effect of BDAC on decision speed and quality. These findings have important theoretical and practical implications, which we discuss in the conclusion.

Does government social media promote users' information security behavior towards COVID-19 scams? Cultivation effects and protective motivations.

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak and offering COVID-19-related scams to unsuspecting people. Currently, there is a lack of studies that focus on protecting people from COVID-19-related cybercrimes. Drawing upon Cultivation Theory and Protection Motivation Theory, we develop a research model to examine the cultivation effect of government social media on peoples' information security behavior towards COVID-19 scams. We employ structural equation modeling to analyze 240 survey responses collected from social media followers of government accounts. Our results suggest that government social media account followers' participation influences their information security behavior through perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, self-efficacy, and response efficacy. Our study highlights the importance of government social media for information security management during crises.