Motivational factors and barriers to digital physical activity platform adoption among middle-aged and older adults

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify motivational factors, preferred motivational mechanisms, digital readiness, and barriers associated with the adoption of digital physical activity platforms. An exploratory cross-sectional survey was conducted using Russian- and Kazakh-language versions of a 21-item questionnaire. The primary analysis included 26 respondents aged ≥40 years. Participants rated the importance of regular exercise for health highly (8.58 ± 1.72 points), while self-reported physical activity was lower (6.35 ± 2.38 points). Digital proficiency was relatively high (7.12 ± 1.68 points), and 88.5% of respondents were willing to use smartphones for exercise programs. Although 84.6% considered points and ratings potentially effective, only 15.4% preferred reward-based points, compared with 46.2% who preferred trainer assessment. The main barriers were complex digital registration, video-reporting requirements, unstable Internet connection, and personal-data security concerns. The findings indicate that digital platform adoption may depend primarily on accessible platform design, meaningful professional feedback, and motivational mechanisms that complement existing health-related motives rather than relying predominantly on reward-based gamification.