A case study on older adults’ long-term use of an activity tracker
A. Schlomann
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AbstractBackground A lack of physical activity can jeopardise older adults’ health whereas activity tracking by means of wearable technologies (activity trackers) can help to promote physical activity. It is, however, unanswered how older people use such technologies in non-experimental contexts. Objectives This paper aims at understanding older adults’ long-term use of an activity
tracker, at identifying reasons for continued or abandoned use and at evaluating possible
effects of activity tracking on the level of physical activity. Methods Semi-structured
telephone interviews were conducted with participants of a long-term follow-up study on the use of an activity tracker (ViFit connect Activity Tracker). They were asked about their experiences with an activity tracker during the last year. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis and compared to the results of a group interview that had taken part immediately after the participants had started to use the devices. Results Statements were classified in five main categories: integration into everyday life, advancement of usage patterns, aspects relevant for long-term use, reasons for abandoned or reduced use, and effects on behaviour. The long-term comparison showed that criticisms expressed at the beginning of use also persisted in the long term. Users had established individual routines in the course of one year. Conclusion Objective information on activity level and the reminder function of the activity tracker contributed to long-term use. However, the reported everyday use of the activity tracker was mainly passive. Opportunities to improve older adults’ user experience include individualized and age-sensitive
incentive mechanisms for physical activity, the integration of activity tracking into broader contexts and the development of suitable platforms for interpersonal exchange.Keywords: wearable technology; activity tracking; older adults; behaviour change
A. Schlomann (2017). A case study on older adults’ long-term use of an activity tracker. Gerontechnology, 16(2), 115-124
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2017.16.2.007.00