Precursors of trust in virtual health communities : a hierarchical investigation

Abstract: Lack of trust can negatively affect consumers’ willingness to share and adopt information in virtual health communities. However not much is known about factors that influence the development of trust in such communities. This paper examined precursors of trust in virtual health communities. Data was collected from 361 users of virtual health community sites in South Africa. Structural equation modelling using version 23 of AMOS was used to analyse the data. The findings show that information usefulness, community responsiveness and shared vision have significant influence on consumers’ overall trust in health related virtual communities. The findings however show differences in the extent to which precursor variables influence different dimensions of overall trust. The study provides insights that can help managers of such sites to effectively foster the development of trust in their communities

The Process of Building Patient Trust in Health Information Exchange (HIE): The Impacts of Perceived Benefits, Perceived Transparency of Privacy Policy, and Familiarity

Exchange technologies such as health information exchanges (HIE) currently lack acceptance theories that consider not only cognitive beliefs that result in adoption behavior but also emotional factors that may influence adoption intention. Based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the technology-adoption literature, and the trust literature, I theoretically explain and empirically test the impact that perceived benefits, perceived transparency of privacy policy, and familiarity have on cognitive trust and emotional trust in HIE. Moreover, I analyze the effect that cognitive trust and emotional trust have on individuals’ intention to opt into HIE and their willingness to disclose health information. I conducted an online survey using data from individuals who knew about HIE through experiences with providers that participated in a regional consumer-mediated HIE network. In my SEM analysis, I found empirical support for the proposed model. My findings indicate that, when patients know more about HIE benefits, HIE sharing procedures, and privacy guidelines, they feel more in control, more assured, and less at risk. The results also show that patient trust in HIE may take the forms of intentions to opt in to HIE and patients’ willingness to disclose personal health information that providers exchange through the HIE. I discuss the implications my results have for both academics and practitioners

Q methodology and the sociotechnical perspective

peer reviewedWhen studying information systems (IS) phenomena, scholars increasingly aim to take a socio-technical approach. This means that instead of focusing exclusively on the technical side, they also study them from a human perspective. An underrecognized yet powerful tool for examining the opinions and attitudes of individuals is the Q methodology because it makes subjective viewpoints on IS phenomena objectively measurable. Despite its benefits and wide application in other disciplines, the use of Q methodology in top IS journals is still rare. Based on a systematic literature review, this article explores the potential and fit of Q methodology within the sociotechnical systems framework. This analysis leads to two main insights. First, Q methodology enables the integration of the social and the technical component as well as instrumental and humanistic outcomes. Second, this qualiquantilogical technique enriches the understanding of IS phenomena by objectifying the approach to exploring subjective viewpoints. Thus, our work highlights the potential of the method for conducting IS research. And it also provides clear guidelines on how to use the method to uncover new patterns inherent in the data being studied

The contribution of community governance towards the sustainable planning and management of urban and regional green infrastructure

This study explored the contribution of community governance towards the sustainable planning and management of urban green infrastructure in Australia. The three case study projects were green corridors in different states in Australia: Merri Creek in Melbourne, Victoria; Iron Cove to Cooks River GreenWay in Sydney, NSW; and the Bibbulmun Track in WA. The case studies suggested that where community and government partners have high capacity in community governance then sustainability outcomes can be achieved