Assessing the Effectiveness of Telehealth Nutritional Services: The Impact of Low Patient Adoption of Nutritional Advice

Date of Award

Summer 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Committee Chair

Charles Fenner

Committee Member

Sabrina Dean

Committee Member

Usha Palniswamy

Abstract

This dissertation used mixed methods to assess the factors affecting people's willingness to adopt the nutritional advice delivered via telehealth nutritional services (TNS). The research was based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Service Use (BMHSU) in an explanatory sequential design. 128 participants were involved in the quantitative stage, which examined the relationships among elements such as perceived usefulness, perceived barrier, service delivery modality, and adoption of nutritional advice. The qualitative stage consisted of 15 participants' interviews whose purpose was to investigate perceptions, experiences, and barriers to TNS.

The quantitative results revealed that, on one hand, adoption was positively associated with perceived usefulness and, on the other hand, negatively associated with perceived barriers. It is to be noted that face-to-face consultations recorded significantly higher adoption scores than TNS. Besides, differences in adoption scores were recorded in age, income, education, and digital literacy groups.

The qualitative results showed that adoption is a behavioral process which progressive involves understanding, acceptance, implementation, adherence, and continuation. In brief, the research points to the necessity of personalized support, digital literacy, and ongoing/repeated engagement as key to enhancing the adoption of nutrition advice via telehealth services.

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