The rapid growth of mobile health technologies and the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare have created new opportunities for prevention, monitoring, and personalized support. However, AI-driven mHealth applications remain under-investigated as a unified technological domain, especially regarding the external, attitudinal, psychological, and sociodemographic factors that may shape user acceptance and intention to use. This study examined the main predictors of intention to adopt AI-driven mHealth tools in the Italian population using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A survey was specifically developed for this purpose and completed by 605 participants stratified by gender, age group, and education level. The model included general attitudes toward AI, AI anxiety, digital health literacy, technological imagination, trust in AI-driven mHealth apps, personality traits, and sociodemographic variables. Overall, personality traits did not significantly predict intention to use. In contrast, most external variables contributed meaningfully to the model, which explained 67% of the variance in behavioural intention. Perceived usefulness emerged as the strongest predictor. Age and education also played an important role: older adults (>55) reported lower perceived ease of use and lower intention to adopt AI-driven mHealth tools, whereas highly educated participants showed more positive attitudes across variables and a significantly higher intention to use these technologies. These findings underscore the central role of perceived usefulness and socio-attitudinal factors in the acceptance of AI-driven mHealth apps, offering insights for the design of more inclusive, effective and user-centered digital health interventions.

Authors:
Ali Aboueldahab, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
Gabriele Damaschi, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
Marco D'Addario, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy
Patrizia Steca, University of Milano Bicocca, Italy

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Ali Aboueldahab is currently a PhD Candidate in Psychology, Linguistics, and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-aboueldahab-b23252257/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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