scholarly journals What makes older adults use their wearable activity trackers longer?: A qualitative study on habit formation (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Peng ◽  
Lin Li ◽  
Anastasia Kononova ◽  
Shelia Cotten ◽  
Kendra Kamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Habit Formation ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Ideal Behavior ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers ◽  
Continued Use

BACKGROUND Wearable activity trackers (WATs) are popular devices used to motivate behavior change. WATs are especially beneficial to encourage light physical activity, such as walking, which is an ideal behavior for older adults or individuals who cannot be physically active at moderate and vigorous levels. A common problem is that people do not continue to use these wearable devices, with initial behavioral change gains eroding as people disengage. However, some people do continue to use WATs to facilitate behavior change and maintain long-term engagement with the changed behavior. OBJECTIVE The current study aims to uncover the mechanism underlying long-term continued use of wearable devices among older adults through the theoretical lens of habit formation. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 participants who were 65 or older and had used WATs for more than six months to understand their experiences and strategies employed to support continued use. RESULTS Thematic analysis of the data revealed eight themes related to habit formation, including aspects in initiation and goal setting, uses of contextual cues, action planning, and coping planning. CONCLUSIONS The results of this qualitative study of long-term users of WAT suggests specific ways to enhance long-term habit formation among older adults. These best practices by long-term users can inform future design of technology-based behavior interventions.

scholarly journals The Use of Wearable Activity Trackers Among Older Adults: Focus Group Study of Tracker Perceptions, Motivators, and Barriers in the Maintenance Stage of Behavior Change (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Kononova ◽  
Lin Li ◽  
Kendra Kamp ◽  
Marie Bowen ◽  
R.V. Rikard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Maintenance Stage ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

BACKGROUND Wearable activity trackers offer the opportunity to increase physical activity through continuous monitoring. Viewing tracker use as a beneficial health behavior, we explored the factors that facilitate and hinder long-term activity tracker use, applying the transtheoretical model of behavior change with the focus on the maintenance stage and relapse. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate older adults’ perceptions and uses of activity trackers at different points of use: from nonuse and short-term use to long-term use and abandoned use to determine the factors to maintain tracker use and prevent users from discontinuing tracker usage. METHODS Data for the research come from 10 focus groups. Of them, 4 focus groups included participants who had never used activity trackers (n=17). These focus groups included an activity tracker trial. The other 6 focus groups (without the activity tracker trial) were conducted with short-term (n=9), long-term (n=11), and former tracker users (n=11; 2 focus groups per user type). RESULTS The results revealed that older adults in different tracker use stages liked and wished for different tracker features, with long-term users (users in the maintenance stage) being the most diverse and sophisticated users of the technology. Long-term users had developed a habit of tracker use whereas other participants made an effort to employ various encouragement strategies to ensure behavior maintenance. Social support through collaboration was the primary motivator for long-term users to maintain activity tracker use. Short-term and former users focused on competition, and nonusers engaged in vicarious tracker use experiences. Former users, or those who relapsed by abandoning their trackers, indicated that activity tracker use was fueled by curiosity in quantifying daily physical activity rather than the desire to increase physical activity. Long-term users saw a greater range of pros in activity tracker use whereas others focused on the cons of this behavior. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that activity trackers may be an effective technology to encourage physical activity among older adults, especially those who have never tried it. However, initial positive response to tracker use does not guarantee tracker use maintenance. Maintenance depends on recognizing the long-term benefits of tracker use, social support, and internal motivation. Nonadoption and relapse may occur because of technology’s limitations and gaining awareness of one’s physical activity without changing the physical activity level itself.

Irrelevant Gadgets or a Source of Worry

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Dimitri Vargemidis ◽  
Kathrin Gerling ◽  
Vero Vanden Abeele ◽  
Luc Geurts ◽  
Katta Spiel
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

Wearable activity trackers are routinely applied in physical activity (PA) interventions in late life, but there is little research that focuses on older adults' perspectives on the technology. We conducted a qualitative study with 24 older persons to explore their perspective on wearables and PA. First, we discussed their relationship with PA and wearable trackers during focus groups. Next, nine participants crafted prototypes for wearables during co-design sessions. Through Thematic Analysis, we identified two main themes: (1) PA is personal in terms of preferred activities and reasons for PA, and (2) wearables are an emotional technology, causing negative emotions when resembling medical trackers or pressurizing to perform. We followed upon these results through a survey with 41 participants, which further highlighted individual differences in the perception of wearables. We conclude with questions to guide the design of wearables and reflect on their role to support PA in late life.

scholarly journals How Are Wearable Activity Trackers Adopted in Older Adults? Comparison between Subjective Adoption Attitudes and Physical Activity Performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 3461
Author(s):  
Byung Cheol Lee ◽  
Junfei Xie ◽  
Toyin Ajisafe ◽  
Sung-Hee Kim
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Athletic Ability ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

Wearable activity trackers can motivate older adults to engage in the recommended daily amount of physical activity (PA). However, individuals may not maintain their use of the trackers over a longer period. To investigate the attitudes of activity tracker adoption and their effects on actual PA performance, we conducted a three-month study. We gave activity trackers to 16 older adults and assessed attitudes on activity tracker adoption through a survey during the study period. We extracted participants’ PA measures, step counts, and moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) times. We observed significant differences in adoption attitudes during the three different periods (χ2(2, 48) = 6.27, p < 0.05), and PA measures followed similar decreasing patterns (F(83, 1357) = 12.56, 13.94, p < 0.00001). However, the Pearson correlation analysis (r = 0.268, p = 0.284) and a Bland–Altman plot indicated a bias between two PA measures. Positive attitudes at the initial stage did not persist through the study period, and both step counts and length of MVPA time showed waning patterns in the study period. The longitudinal results from both measures demonstrated the patterns of old adults’ long-term use and adoption. Considering the accuracy of the activity tracker and older adults’ athletic ability, MVPA times are more likely to be a reliable measure of older adults’ long-term use and successful adoption of activity trackers than step counts. The results support the development of better activity tracker design guidelines that would facilitate long-term adoption among older adults.

Factors Associated with Older Adults' Long-Term Use of Wearable Activity Trackers

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 769-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Li ◽  
Wei Peng ◽  
Anastasia Kononova ◽  
Marie Bowen ◽  
Shelia R. Cotten
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

scholarly journals The Acceptability, Feasibility and Effectiveness of Wearable Activity Trackers for Increasing Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6211
Author(s):  
Amy V. Creaser ◽  
Stacy A. Clemes ◽  
Silvia Costa ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Nicola D. Ridgers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Start Date ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

Wearable activity trackers (wearables) embed numerous behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that have previously been shown to increase adult physical activity (PA). With few children and adolescents achieving PA guidelines, it is crucial to explore ways to increase their PA. This systematic review examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables and their potential mechanisms of action for increasing PA in 5 to 19-year-olds. A systematic search of six databases was conducted, including data from the start date of each database to December 2019 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020164506). Thirty-three studies were included. Most studies (70%) included only adolescents (10 to 19 years). There was some—but largely mixed—evidence that wearables increase steps and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA and reduce sedentary behaviour. There were no apparent differences in effectiveness based on the number of BCTs used and between studies using a wearable alone or as part of a multi-component intervention. Qualitative findings suggested wearables increased motivation to be physically active via self-monitoring, goal setting, feedback, and competition. However, children and adolescents reported technical difficulties and a novelty effect when using wearables, which may impact wearables’ long-term use. More rigorous and long-term studies investigating the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables in 5 to 19-year-olds are warranted.

The Experience of Being Listened To: A Qualitative Study of Older Adults in Long-Term Care Settings

2006 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Jonas-Simpson ◽  
Gail J Mitchell ◽  
Anne Fisher ◽  
Grazia Jones ◽  
Jan Linscott
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Term Care
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