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Older adults' experiences of using a wearable activity tracker with health professional feedback over a 12-month randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: Objective:Wearable activity trackers can help older adults remain physically active. However, knowledge of the user experience during long-term use is scarce. Therefore, this study examined older adults' experiences with, and perceptions of, wearable activity trackers combined with health professional feedback after a year's use as part of a randomised controlled trial. Methods:Twenty older adults (73.6?±?5.5 years) who had used a Jawbone UP24 activity tracker for 12 months during a randomised controlled trial were recruited for this study. All participants had at least one chronic condition. Acceptability data relating to activity tracker wear time was combined with focus group data to explore participants experiences of long-term activity tracker use. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results:The activity tracker was well-accepted with the device worn on an average of 86% of possible days and participants reported an overall positive experience. Four themes were identified: (a) increased sense of awareness of activity levels is related to motivation; (b) the level of engagement with the activity tracker influences the user experience; (c) the role of feedback from a health professional in providing ongoing support; d) the role of habits in supporting long-term behaviour change. Conclusions:The use of an activity tracker combined with health professional support can assist older adults to maintain their activity levels over 12 months. Consideration should be given to the previous technology experience of users and the design and accuracy of an activity tracker when recommending their use in a research or clinical setting.

SUBMITTER: Brickwood KJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7218318 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Older adults' experiences of using a wearable activity tracker with health professional feedback over a 12-month randomised controlled trial.

Brickwood Katie-Jane KJ Williams Andrew D AD Watson Greig G O'Brien Jane J

Digital health 20200101

<h4>Objective</h4>Wearable activity trackers can help older adults remain physically active. However, knowledge of the user experience during long-term use is scarce. Therefore, this study examined older adults' experiences with, and perceptions of, wearable activity trackers combined with health professional feedback after a year's use as part of a randomised controlled trial.<h4>Methods</h4>Twenty older adults (73.6 ± 5.5 years) who had used a Jawbone UP24 activity tracker for 12 months during ...[more]

PMID: 32426152

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Project description:BackgroundWearable exoskeletons can be a powerful tool for the facilitation of ambulation of complete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) subjects, which has several psychological and physical advantages. However, exoskeleton control is difficult for this group of users and requires a long period of training. People with SCI not only lack the motor control, but also miss the sensory information from below the level of the lesion, which is for example very important in their perception of body posture and makes balancing with an exoskeleton difficult. It is hypothesized that through sensory substitution part of the missing sensory information can be provided and might thereby improve the control of an exoskeleton. However, it is not known which information would be most important to receive while using an exoskeleton and how this feedback should be provided.MethodsTo investigate the preferences of users of an exoskeleton, a questionnaire was filled out by 10 SCI subjects who underwent a training program with a commercial exoskeleton (ReWalk). The questionnaire consisted of questions about the use of the exoskeleton to identify which information is missing and which instructions from the therapists were needed to be able to control the exoskeleton. The second part of the questionnaire focused on the possibilities of sensory feedback and preferences for stimulation methods (auditory, vibrotactile or visual) and feedback timing (discrete or continuous) were investigated. Furthermore, six options for feedback parameters (step initiation, continuous and discrete gait phases, foot position and mediolateral and anteroposterior weight shift) were proposed and the respondents were asked to indicate their preferences.ResultsThree feedback parameters (feedback about mediolateral and anteroposterior weight shift and feedback about step initiation) were considered as possibly helpful by the respondents. Furthermore, there were slight preferences for the use of vibrotactile (over auditory and visual) and discrete (over continuous) feedback.ConclusionsThe answers of the respondents on the optimal feedback parameters were rather variable and therefore it is recommended to let the users choose their preferred feedback system during a training session with several feedback options. However, there are slight preferences for the use of vibrotactile stimulation provided in a discrete way.

Project description:BackgroundOlder adults may use wearable devices for various reasons, ranging from monitoring clinically relevant health metrics or detecting falls to monitoring physical activity. Little is known about how this population engages with wearable devices, and no qualitative synthesis exists to describe their shared experiences with long-term use.ObjectiveThis study aims to synthesize qualitative studies of user experience after a multi-day trial with a wearable device to understand user experience and the factors that contribute to the acceptance and use of wearable devices.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search in CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, PubMed, and Embase (2015-2020; English) with fixed search terms relating to older adults and wearable devices. A meta-synthesis methodology was used. We extracted themes from primary studies, identified key concepts, and applied reciprocal and refutational translation techniques; findings were synthesized into third-order interpretations, and finally, a "line-of-argument" was developed. Our overall goal was theory development, higher-level abstraction, and generalizability for making this group of qualitative findings more accessible.ResultsIn total, we reviewed 20 papers; 2 evaluated fall detection devices, 1 tested an ankle-worn step counter, and the remaining 17 tested activity trackers. The duration of wearing ranged from 3 days to 24 months. The views of 349 participants (age: range 51-94 years) were synthesized. Four key concepts were identified and outlined: motivation for device use, user characteristics (openness to engage and functional ability), integration into daily life, and device features. Motivation for device use is intrinsic and extrinsic, encompassing many aspects of the user experience, and appears to be as, if not more, important than the actual device features. To overcome usability barriers, an older adult must be motivated by the useful purpose of the device. A device that serves its intended purpose adds value to the user's life. The user's needs and the support structure around the device-aspects that are often overlooked-seem to play a crucial role in long-term adoption. Our "line-of-argument" model describes how motivation, ease of use, and device purpose determine whether a device is perceived to add value to the user's life, which subsequently predicts whether the device will be integrated into the user's life.ConclusionsThe added value of a wearable device is the resulting balance of motivators (or lack thereof), device features (and their accuracy), ease of use, device purpose, and user experience. The added value contributes to the successful integration of the device into the daily life of the user. Useful device features alone do not lead to continued use. A support structure should be placed around the user to foster motivation, encourage peer engagement, and adapt to the user's preferences.

Project description:Rationale & objectivePeople with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have very low physical activity, and the degree of inactivity is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality. We assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a 12-week intervention coupling a wearable activity tracker (FitBit) and structured feedback coaching versus wearable activity tracker alone on changes in physical activity in hemodialysis patients.Study designRandomized controlled trial.Setting & participants55 participants with ESKD receiving hemodialysis who were able to walk with or without assistive devices recruited from a single academic hemodialysis unit between January 2019 and April 2020.InterventionsAll participants wore a Fitbit Charge 2 tracker for a minimum of 12 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to a wearable activity tracker plus a structured feedback intervention versus the wearable activity tracker alone. The structured feedback group was counseled weekly on steps achieved after randomization.OutcomeThe outcome was step count, and the main parameter of interest was the absolute change in daily step count, averaged per week, from baseline to completion of 12 weeks intervention. In the intention-to-treat analysis, mixed-effect linear regression analysis was used to evaluate change in daily step count from baseline to 12-weeks in both arms.ResultsOut of 55 participants, 46 participants completed the 12-week intervention (23 per arm). The mean age was 62 (± 14 SD) years; 44% were Black, and 36% were Hispanic. At baseline, step count (structured feedback intervention: 3,704 [1,594] vs wearable activity tracker alone: 3,808 [1,890]) and other participant characteristics were balanced between the arms. We observed a larger change in daily step count in the structured feedback arm at 12 weeks relative to use of the wearable activity tracker alone arm (Δ 920 [±580 SD] versus Δ 281 [±186 SD] steps; between-group difference Δ 639 [±538 SD] steps; P<0.05).LimitationsSingle-center study and small sample size.ConclusionThis pilot randomized controlled trial demonstrated that structured feedback coupled with a wearable activity tracker led to a greater daily step count that was sustained over 12 weeks relative to a wearable activity tracker alone. Future studies are required to determine longer-term sustainability of the intervention and potential health benefits in hemodialysis patients.FundingGrants from industry (Satellite Healthcare) and government (National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Trial registrationRegistered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study number NCT05241171.

Project description:Background:Reductions in energy intake are seen in weight loss trials, but whether this occurs with improvements to diet quality (DQ) is less established. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in diet quality in a sample of volunteers in a weight loss trial. Methods:This was a secondary analysis of dietary data from a lifestyle intervention trial (the HealthTrack study) which advised on dietary guidelines. The trial ran for 12 months with three treatment groups: control (general advice C), intervention (individualised advice, I), and intervention plus a supplement of walnuts (IW). Both the published a priori diet quality score (APDQS, maximum score 164) and a study specific Diet Quality Tracker (DQT, maximum score 44) indicated compliance to dietary advice. DQ scores calculated at 0, 3months and 12months were evaluated using two-way RMANOVA, one-way ANOVA and one-way RMANOVA. Changes in intakes of food groups and nutrients were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman's tests. Results:There were no differences between groups at baseline, but at 3months IW recorded higher DQ scores (APDQS:96?±?10; DQT:22?±?5, P?<?1?×?10-3 for both) compared to I (APDQS:91?±?13, P?<?1?×?10-3; DQT:21?±?4, P?<?1?×?10-2) and C (APDQS:87?±?12, P?<?5?×?10-2; DQT:19?±?4, P?>?5?×?10-2), and a higher consumption of nuts at 3 months (P?<?1?×?10-3), and 12months (P?<?1?×?10-2). All groups reported decreased intakes of discretionary foods/beverages assessed by the DQT (P?<?1?×?10-3 for IW and I; P?<?1?×?10-2 for C). The APDQS showed this as reduced intakes of grain based desserts (P?<?1?×?10-3 at 3 and 12months), and salty snacks at 12months (P?<?1?×?10-3 for IW and I; P?<?5?×?10-2 for C). Intakes of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids were lowest, and polyunsaturated fatty acids highest for IW (P?<?1?×?10-3), resulting in a higher dietary polyunsaturated:saturated fat ratio (P?<?1?×?10-3). Conclusions:Lifestyle intervention addressing dietary guidelines can lead to significant reductions in consumption of discretionary foods and saturated fat, but individualised advice may have a greater impact on improving overall DQ regardless of DQI used. Providing a healthy food supplement may help assure higher DQ and where the food is walnuts, produce commensurate differences in dietary fatty acid profiles. Trial registration:ANZCTRN 12614000581662. Date of registration: 30th May 2014.

Dataset Information

Older adults' experiences of using a wearable activity tracker with health professional feedback over a 12-month randomised controlled trial.

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Older adults' experiences of using a wearable activity tracker with health professional feedback over a 12-month randomised controlled trial.

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