1654-P: Willingness to Use Health Apps by Indians: Evidence from Digital Studies Conducted in India

Introduction and Objective: Mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) offer scalable solutions for health promotion and chronic disease prevention in India. However, their effectiveness depends on individuals’ willingness to adopt digital technologies. This study aimed to assess the influence of sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors on the willingness to use mHealth apps. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 18,932 adults aged 25-60 years screened for the Global Health Research Unit (GHRU) digital study, comprising a pilot phase (GHRU 1; n = 5,268) and main phase (GHRU 2; n = 13,664). Data were collected using a screening questionnaire that captured information on smartphone ownership, internet access, English literacy, and willingness to use mHealth apps. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to examine associations between sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle factors and willingness to use a health app. Results: Overall, 68.2 % participants (n=12921) were willing to use mHealth apps. Males and urban residence were strong predictors of willingness to use mHealth apps in both studies. Increasing age was inversely associated with willingness, with participants aged ≥50 years showing substantially lower odds compared to those aged <35 years. Higher waist circumference was positively associated with willingness among both males and females. Participants engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity and having a strong family history of diabetes showed significantly higher odds of using the app. Conclusion: Willingness to use mHealth apps was more common among participants who were young, males, lived in urban areas, and were at high risk of metabolic disorders. Those involved in any exercise also showed better uptake to mHealth apps. There is a need for targeted strategies to increase acceptance among females, older adults and rural populations. Disclosure H. Ranjani: None. N. Jagannathan: None. S. Nitika: None. D. Vinothini: None. K. Yuvarani: None. A. Yadav: None. M. Loomba: None. V. Jha: None. P. Avari: Research Support; Current; Dexcom, Inc., Diabetes UK. N. Oliver: Research Support; Current; Dexcom, Inc., Roche Diabetes Care. Speaker's Bureau; Current; Sanofi. Speaker's Bureau; Ended; AstraZeneca. Research Support; Current; Medtronic. Speaker's Bureau; Ended; Dexcom, Inc. J. Valabhji: None. V. Mohan: None. J. Chambers: None. R. Anjana: None.