Research Appraisals

Journal of health organization and management

Unlocking potential: impact of mHealth affordance realization on patient well-being

PURPOSE: This study investigates how realized affordances of mobile health technologies influence the relationship between technology use, patient empowerment and well-being in diabetes self-management. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research proposes a technology use-empowerment-well-being (TEW) model based on affordance theory. Data were collected through a survey of 257 diabetes patients using mobile technologies for self-management and analyzed using structural equation modeling with SmartPLS. FINDINGS: Results indicate that patient empowerment fully mediates the relationship between mobile technology use and patient well-being. Importantly, realized affordances moderately strengthen the relationship between technology use and patient empowerment, demonstrating that patients derive greater benefits when they actively utilize technology's capabilities for diabetes management. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Reliance on self-reported data and the cross-sectional design limit causal inferences about the evolution of technology-empowerment-well-being relationships over time. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare technology designers should focus on creating clear, tangible benefits for patients that support specific self-management behaviors. Healthcare providers should educate patients about the benefits of technology and support them in realizing these affordances through training and ongoing assistance. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study integrates affordance theory with patient empowerment concepts, providing empirical evidence that realized affordances - not merely technology availability - are critical for improving self-management outcomes. The TEW model introduces a novel framework for understanding how technology empowers patients and enhances well-being in chronic disease management.