JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Home monitoring has the potential to enable early detection of disease progression in pediatric lung diseases such as asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF). There is minimal evidence of the opinions of caregivers and children on the subject home monitoring.

Objective:

This study aims to explore patients and caregivers perspectives on home monitoring.

Methods:

This is a multicenter, mixed-methods study among children aged 6–18 years with asthma or CF and their caregivers. Participants were recruited from Juliana Children’s Hospital and ErasmusMC-Sophia Children’s Hospital between September 2023 and June 2025. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing experiences, attitudes, and potential barriers and facilitators to home monitoring. Selected participants took part in in-depth interviews.

Results:

113 children and caregivers (62 asthma and 51 CF) participated in this study. Willingness to use home monitoring was high (asthma: 87.1%, CF: 86.3%). The asthma population showed significantly greater willingness to use different types of proposed home monitoring compared to the CF respondents. Caregivers who expressed difficulty with symptom interpretation, were significantly more motivated to use home monitoring. Key barriers included time demands, usability, device size, and concerns about maintaining personal contact with healthcare providers. Facilitators included compact-, user-friendly devices, clear instructions, and improved disease understanding.

Conclusions:

High willingness to adopt home monitoring exists in both asthma and CF populations, but preferences and perceived barriers differ. Tailoring device choice and implementation strategies to patient needs, minimizing burden, and integrating medical oversight are important for successful uptake. Clinical Trial: Not applicable