An empirical study of human -computer interaction usability factors affecting perceptions of trust of e -health consumers

A critical challenge facing organizations today is to develop a web presence that is not only compelling to the consumer, but also establishes trust. This study focuses on an e-business environment that requires establishing trust relationships between an organization and consumers in the context of exchanging personal information using an e-health care service. E-business includes using the convenience, availability, and global reach of electronic media to enhance existing businesses and create new virtual businesses. E-business is often categorized as: internal transactions using an Intranet, business-to-business (B2B) transactions through an Extranet, and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions over the Internet. B2B transactions have had remarkable economic growth; however, B2C transactions have lagged behind. One of the most often cited reasons for this lag are consumers\u27 fear of divulging personal data over the Internet. Consumers simply do not trust web providers enough to engage in “relationship exchanges” that involve money and personal information. Specifically, this study investigated the effect of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) usability factors on consumers\u27 perception of trust when using e-health services. The study also examined the importance of an individual\u27s trust propensity and the influence of the severity of the health problem. This research confirmed that HCI usability factors are essential elements in conveying the trustworthiness of a web-based system and do affect consumers\u27 perception of trust in personal relationship-based information exchanges. Further, the results indicate that consumers who have a high trust propensity rate the trustworthiness of a web-based system higher than individuals with a low trust propensity, and that the severity of the health problem does influence trustworthiness. This research will help web developers better understand which usability factors effect the users\u27 perception of trust and will aid in designing websites that impart trustworthiness. Secondly, this study broadened the research field by examining HCI usability factors and trust from a personal-information exchange perspective. Lastly, this research addressed how HCI usability factors can assist in better enabling e-health technologies