JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In several countries, contact tracing apps (CTAs) have been introduced to warn users if they have had high-risk contacts that could expose them to SARS-CoV-2 and therefore could develop COVID-19 or further transmit the virus. For CTAs to be effective, sufficient critical mass of users is needed. Until now, adoption of these apps in several countries has been limited, resulting in questions on which factors refrain app uptake or stimulate app use discontinuation.

Objective:

This study investigates individuals’ reasons for not using or stop using a CTA, more particularly the app Coronalert. Users’ and nonusers’ attitudes towards the app’s potential impact was assessed in Belgium. To further stimulate interest and potential use of a CTA, the study also investigated population’s interest for new functionalities.

Methods:

A survey was administered in Flanders, Belgium, to a sample of 1,850 respondents aged 18 to 64. Sociodemographic differences were assessed between users and nonusers. Both groups’ attitude towards CTAs potential impact and their acceptance of new app functionalities were analysed.

Results:

Our data show why a majority of our respondents were nonusers of the CTA under study. While we did not find any sociodemographic differences between users and nonusers, attitudes towards the app and its functionalities seemed to differ. The main reasons to not adopt a CTA are related to a perceived lack of advantages, privacy-issues and, to a lesser extent, technical and usability issues. As could be expected, users of a CTA agree more on the potential of such apps to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. Overall, nonusers find the possibility of extending the CTA with future functionalities less acceptable than current users. However, also among users, acceptability tends to differ. For example, functionalities relating to access and control, such as digital certificates or ‘green cards’ for events, were less accepted than functionalities focusing on informing citizens.

Conclusions:

Our results show that various attitudes and perceived advantages play an important role in the adoption and continued use of a CTA. Governments need to address concerns relating to privacy and data-gathering mechanisms through such apps, while also highlighting potential advantages. In addition, the roll-out of new functionalities should be done cautiously while gaining the trust of citizens.