TITLE:
Application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in Predicting Telerehabilitation Acceptance among Rehabilitation Professionals in Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Ibraheem Abiodun Salako, Muideen Adewale Jimoh, Stephen Ogunronbi
KEYWORDS:
Telerehabilitation, UTAUT, Digital Health, Rehabilitation Professionals, Technology Adoption, Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Telerehabilitation, a subset of digital health, offers a promising approach to overcoming access and resource barriers in rehabilitation service delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Despite its potential, the adoption of telerehabilitation by rehabilitation professionals remains limited. This study examined the factors influencing the acceptance of telerehabilitation among rehabilitation professionals in Nigeria using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 100 rehabilitation professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language therapists. Data were collected using an online questionnaire assessing five UTAUT constructs: Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Social Influence (SI), Facilitating Conditions (FC), and Behavioral Intention (BI) to use telerehabilitation. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were performed using SPSS. Perceived usefulness emerged as the only statistically significant predictor of Behavioral Intention (β = 0.37, p = 0.013). While PEOU, SI, and FC showed positive correlations with BI, they did not significantly predict adoption in the regression model. Urban professionals reported significantly higher PU scores than their rural counterparts, and location moderated the relationship between PU and BI. No significant differences were observed across gender, age, or professional groups. The study highlights that perceived clinical utility is the strongest driver of telerehabilitation adoption among Nigerian rehabilitation professionals. Despite infrastructural limitations and limited organizational support, professionals expressed strong behavioral intention to adopt telerehabilitation. These findings underscore the need for policy and institutional efforts to strengthen enabling conditions and infrastructure, especially in rural settings, to support widespread and sustainable implementation.