ObjectivePublic health information collection is critical in improving the capacity of basic public health services. Our study took the "Wei Jian E Tong" APP as an example to evaluate the willingness and influencing factors of rural public health service personnel to continue using such APPs.MethodsWe applied exploratory sequential design in mixed-method research and chose Renshou county in Sichuan province as the representative region. Firstly, we used the personal in-depth interview to initially explore the status quo, applicability, continued willingness to use APP and other issues. Secondly, we used unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and expectation confirmation theory (ECT) to construct a hypothetical model of influencing factors of user satisfaction. We then designed a structured questionnaire covering 7 measurement dimensions to survey all users of the APP at the survey site. Finally, we used structural equation model to verify the research hypothesis.ResultsA total of 21 individuals were interviewed in this survey, including leaders of township health centers, public health doctors, and rural doctors. Qualitative results showed the major defects were insufficient funds and policy support in the promotion and application, additionally lack of software functionalities and system incompatibility. A total of 593 valid questionnaires were collected from the quantitative survey on the satisfaction of township doctors and village doctors. Structural equation model results showed that seven direct hypotheses were established, of which compatibility had the largest effect value user satisfaction with a total effect value of 0.617, followed by facilitating condition (r=0.211), performance expectancy (r=0.137), effort expectancy (r=0.091) and social influence (r=0.068).ConclusionsTo promote the application of information collection apps in primary public health services and improve user satisfaction, the focus should be on solving software incompatibility and create interconnection among all levels of medical systems. At the same time, it is necessary to solve funding problems as a whole, optimize software functions, improve the performance evaluation system, and improve software training and promotion.