Determinants of mHealth adoption for sexual and reproductive health services among university students in Ghana - AUTAUT and health belief model analysis

Q: What was the study’s main focus regarding mHealth?

The study examined the knowledge, utilization patterns, and determinants of mHealth adoption for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among Ghanaian university students.

Q: How was the study conducted and what was the sample?

A cross-sectional design surveyed 390 undergraduates at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, selected through multistage sampling across six residence halls.

Q: Which factors significantly predicted mHealth adoption for SRH services?

Performance expectancy and life quality improvements positively predicted adoption. Social stigma, resistance to technology adoption, and privacy concerns negatively predicted adoption.

Q: What did the study find about the role of perceived health threats?

Perceived health threats did not moderate the relationship between performance expectations and usage (p = 0.488).

Sep 29, 2026

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Investigates what drives acceptance of mobile health (mHealth) for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among Ghanaian university students. A cross-sectional survey of 390 undergraduates at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology used a validated questionnaire grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Health Belief Model. Confirmatory factor analysis validated measures, while hierarchical regression tested demographic, behavioral, and interaction predictors. Results show awareness is high, but SRH use remains low, shaped by performance expectancy, life quality gains, stigma, tech resistance, and privacy concerns.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background and public health context

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keywords

Author information and publication notes

Determinants of mHealth adoption for sexual and reproductive health services among university students in Ghana: AUTAUT and health belief model analysis DIGITAL HEALTH Volume 12: 1–11 © The Author(s) 2026 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/20552076251412705](DOI: 10.1177/20552076251412705)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/20552076251412705)[journals.sagepub.com/home/dhj](journals.sagepub.com/home/dhj) Abigail Gyebi Nimo 1, Richard Abeiku Bonney2,3 and Labaran Musah4 Abstract Introduction: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remain inaccessible for many young adults in low-resource settings. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies present an innovative solution, yet adoption rates among university students in sub-Saharan Africa are poorly characterized. This study investigated the knowledge, utilization patterns, and key determinants of mHealth adoption for SRH services among Ghanaian university students using established behavioral frameworks. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 390 undergraduates at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, selected through multistage sampling across six residence halls. A validated questionnaire, incorporating constructs from the Uniﬁed Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Health Belief Model, assessed: (1) mHealth knowledge,(2) SRH service utilization, and (3) psychosocial determinants of adoption. Conﬁrmatory factor analysis validated measurement scales, while hierarchical regression analyzed predictors across three models (demographic, behavioral, and interaction terms). Results: The study revealed three key ﬁndings: First, while 73.8% of respondents demonstrated mHealth awareness, actual usage for SRH remained low (mean = 3.40/7, SD = 1.83). Second, performance expectancy (β = 0.345, p < 0.001) and life quality improvements (β = 0.197, p<0.05) signiﬁcantly predicted adoption. Third, substantial barriers included social stigma (β = −0.210, p = 0.016), resistance to technology adoption (β = −0.221, p = 0.001), and privacy concerns (β = −0.208, p = 0.004). Notably, perceived health threats did not moderate the relationship between performance expectations and usage (p = 0.488). Conclusions: This study highlights a critical gap between awareness and actual use of mHealth for SRH among Ghanaian university students. It identiﬁes key barriers—such as perceived usefulness, privacy concerns, and behavioral resistance—and reveals how sociocultural norms inﬂuence youth engagement with digital health tools. The ﬁndings underscore the need for culturally sensitive, trust-based mHealth initiatives that strengthen digital literacy and promote behavioral change. Such approaches could enhance youth-focused mHealth strategies in Ghana and offer valuable lessons for similar contexts across sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords Mobile health, sexual and reproductive health, health technology adoption, Ghana, behavioral determinants Received: 24 June 2025; accepted: 16 December 2025 Introduction Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) remains a critical public health challenge for young adults globally, particularly in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) where access to quality healthcare services is often limited. 1,2 Adolescents and young adults aged 15–24 account for nearly half of all new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide, and unintended pregnancy rates in this demographic remain alarmingly high, contributing to 1 Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, Kwadaso, Ghana 2School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana 3Department of Health Care Management, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany 4Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Cardiology Unit, Kumasi, Ghana Corresponding author: Richard Abeiku Bonney, School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana;

FAQs

What was the study’s main focus regarding mHealth?

The study examined the knowledge, utilization patterns, and determinants of mHealth adoption for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among Ghanaian university students.

How was the study conducted and what was the sample?

A cross-sectional design surveyed 390 undergraduates at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, selected through multistage sampling across six residence halls.

Which factors significantly predicted mHealth adoption for SRH services?

Performance expectancy and life quality improvements positively predicted adoption. Social stigma, resistance to technology adoption, and privacy concerns negatively predicted adoption.

What did the study find about the role of perceived health threats?

Perceived health threats did not moderate the relationship between performance expectations and usage (p = 0.488).

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Indoniesian Boy