Barriers to the Utilization of mHealth Applications in Saudi Arabia: Insights from Patients with Chronic Diseases.

Abstract

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) applications play a crucial role in enhancing healthcare accessibility, patient engagement, and chronic disease management. However, technical, usability, accessibility, and privacy-related barriers continue to hinder their widespread adoption. The Sehaty app, a government-managed mHealth platform in Saudi Arabia, is widely used for scheduling medical appointments, accessing health records, and communicating with healthcare providers. Understanding the challenges associated with its utilization is essential for optimizing its functionality and improving user experience.

Aim: This study aims to identify and evaluate the key barriers affecting the adoption and usability of the Sehaty mHealth application among patients with chronic conditions in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, it examines challenges related to technical performance, usability, accessibility, privacy, and security and their impact on user satisfaction and engagement.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed to 344 participants selected through purposive sampling to ensure the inclusion of active Sehaty users with chronic conditions. The questionnaire assessed 10 primary usability barriers, including technical issues, navigation difficulties, privacy concerns, and accessibility limitations. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the prevalence and interrelationships of these barriers.

Results: The findings indicate that technical barriers, including frequent application crashes, slow responsiveness, and system instability, significantly hinder user satisfaction. Usability challenges, such as difficulties in navigation and task completion, further impede engagement. Moreover, privacy and security concerns emerged as significant deterrents, with users expressing apprehensions about data safety and transparency. Accessibility barriers, particularly for older adults and individuals with disabilities, were associated with insufficient support and training, making the app less user-friendly for these populations. The study highlights the interconnected nature of usability challenges, suggesting that improvements in technical stability and interface design could lead to enhanced user confidence, engagement, and overall satisfaction.

Conclusions: Addressing these barriers requires targeted technical enhancements, user-centered design improvements, and strengthened data security measures to promote trust and engagement. Additionally, implementing comprehensive user support systems and accessibility features is essential to ensuring equitable access to mHealth services. While the study's generalizability is limited by its focus on a single government-managed platform, its findings offer valuable insights applicable to broader mHealth initiatives. Future research should incorporate longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impact of usability improvements on mHealth adoption and healthcare outcomes.