Investigating Health and Fitness App Users’ Stickiness, WOM, and Continuance Intention Using S-O-R Model: The Moderating Role of Health Consciousness

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

Study examines why users continue using health and fitness mobile apps despite historically low retention, focusing on engagement and stickiness. Using the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, it tests how satisfaction and app-love affect stickiness intention, word-of-mouth (WOM), and continuance intention, while evaluating health consciousness as a moderating factor. Survey data from 394 Google Forms respondents analyzed with PLS-SEM shows information, system, and service quality drive engagement, which then increases satisfaction and app-love; health consciousness strengthens key relationships.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Mobile app proliferation and health/fitness adoption

Emerging economies and implementation challenges

Need for evidence on app use in Egypt

Abstract

Study purpose and research model

Data collection and methodology

Key findings and moderation effects

Proposed integrated framework

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN–COMPUTER INTERACTION [https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2135813](https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2135813) Investigating Health and Fitness App Users’ Stickiness, WOM, and Continuance Intention Using S-O-R Model: The Moderating Role of Health Consciousness Mohamed M. Elsotouhya , Mohamed A. Ghonima , Thamir Hamad Alaskerb, and Mohamed A. Khashana, b aDepartment of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; bDepartment of Business Administration, College of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT Regardless of its advantage, generally, statistics show low levels of mobile application retention for a long time by users. Thus, the current study tries to provide a deeper understanding of the health and fitness app users’ engagement and stickiness based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, as well as testing the moderating role of the health consciousness in the effect of users’ satisfaction and app-love on stickiness, WOM, and continuance intention. Data was collected from 394 respondents recruited using Google Forms using the self-selection sample technique. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. According to the findings, ISS model components (information quality, system quality, and service quality) significantly influence user engagement with health and fitness applications. Furthermore, user engagement has a significant and positive influence on user satisfaction and app-love. Furthermore, app satisfaction and app-love positively impact stickiness intention, word-of-mouth, and continuance intention. Moreover, the influence of user satisfaction on WOM and continuance intention is moderated by health consciousness. Additionally, the influence of app-love on stickiness intention, WOM, and continuance intention is moderated by health consciousness. This is the first study to integrate the ISS model and the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, as well as the health consciousness construct as a moderator, to propose a holistic framework of user engagement, satisfaction, app-love, stickiness intention, WOM, and continuance intention with health and fitness apps in the emergent markets. 1. Introduction The proliferation of mobile applications (also known as apps) has transformed how people stay fit and keep track of their health (Sullivan & Lachman, 2016) . The mobile app market has been inundated with health-related apps, such as those that help people keep track of their daily nutritional intake, track their physical activity, and encourage them to lead healthier lives (Beldad & Hegner, 2018) . Android users can choose from 3.48 million apps available on Google Play as of the first quarter of 2021, while, in the same period, iOS users can choose from 2.22 million apps available on the Apple App Store (Statista, 2021) . In both the Apple App Store and Google Play, “health and fitness” was one of the top 15 categories of apps among these apps (Appbrain, 2021; Pocketgamer Biz, 2021) . Health and fitness applications typically include various features that enable users to track their diet, exercise, sleep, and weight (Chiu & Cho, 2020) . Users’ psychological and bodily well-being can both benefit from health and fitness apps that incorporate social components, such as friendly competition and mutual support amongst their fellow users (Higgins, 2016; Sullivan & Lachman, 2016) . Empirically, research has focused exclusively on developed countries (see, Beldad & Hegner, 2018; Chiu et al., 2021; Chiu & Cho, 2020; Cho, 2016; Dam et al., 2018) rather than on emerging economies attempting to transition to the digital transformation era. While the use of health and fitness app technologies improves population-level health outcomes worldwide, developing countries face significant challenges in successf

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study on health and fitness apps?

The study investigates health and fitness app users’ engagement and stickiness by applying the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) model. It also tests how health consciousness moderates effects of satisfaction and app-love on outcomes.

Which factors influence user engagement according to the findings?

Information quality, system quality, and service quality significantly influence user engagement with health and fitness applications. This engagement then positively affects user satisfaction and app-love.

How does health consciousness affect satisfaction, app-love, and user outcomes?

Health consciousness moderates the influence of user satisfaction on WOM and continuance intention. It also moderates how app-love impacts stickiness intention, WOM, and continuance intention.

Oct 20, 2026

Uploaded by Aria