Adoption of Mobile and Wearable Technology for Older Adults’ Physical Activity: A Preliminary Model

Abstract

This study explores the adoption of mobile and wearable technology in the physical activity of older adults. The data arose from qualitative ethnographic observations and interviews (N = 7). Findings led to the conceptualization of a model describing interviewees’ decision-making processes for adoption. The model outlines these phases: awareness; attitudes; appraisals; initial use, which could lead to abandonment or adoption; and post-trial abandonment, which could lead to rejection or probable adoption through redeveloping awareness and attitudes, and reappraising the technology. The findings highlight the need to consider for age-specific barriers to adoption and to understand adoption as a stage-wise process with intricate layers. Certain well-formed habits and the lack of understanding of the parameters provided by these technologies can lead to older adults’ rejection of tools that are potentially useful for physical activity motivation. The paper suggests practical ways for promoting mobile and wearable technology to older adults.

Keywords:

• Health apps
• mobile health
• technology acceptance
• wearable sensors

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Dr. Edson C. Tandoc Jr. for his guidance in this project.

Ethics approval

The ethics committee of Nanyang Technological University approved this study (Nanyang Technological University IRB-2016-09-038 & IRB-2016-09-038-02). Interviewees signed informed consent forms before participating in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sapphire H. Lin

Sapphire H. Lin ([email protected]) is in Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.