Toward Effective eHealth Communication for Efficient Utilization of Healthcare Resources: A Social Interaction and Information Needs Perspective

Abstract

People’s attitudes toward online healthcare (eHealth) exhibit a spectrum of acceptance, concerns, and expectations. The low usage of people and the high adoption rate of health institutions raise colossal concerns. Bridging the evolving gap of eHealth-seeking behavior from literature and industrial practices, this research rigorously analyzes the relationships among eHealth information systems and users’ perceptions of eHealth tools with a proposed theoretical model, the eHealth-Health Belief Model-Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology2 (EHBTAUT). The article uses two rounds of primary questionnaire data from young adults aged 18–30, yielding 1,432 valid responses, to examine how health information orientation, online health behavior, eHealth literacy, social interaction needs, internet self-efficacy, and internet/social media use shape eHealth behavioral intention and utilization within EHBTAUT. The model is tested using a partial least squares structural equation modeling–probabilistic neural network (PLS–PNN) approach, supplemented by Monte Carlo simulation to assess robustness. To validate the results, this research provides an application-oriented demonstration by translating the empirically supported mechanisms into an iOS-based eHealth application and evaluating its practical relevance with 90 young adult participants. The research reveals that eHealth information-seeking motivations and internet information exchange constructs significantly affect healthcare information design, ensuring that healthcare platforms are functional and aligned with the expectations and needs of their target audience.