JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is prevalent among older adults. Promoting physical activity and increasing exercise capacity are recommended for all individuals with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation is the standard of care to improve exercise capacity, although there are barriers that hinder accessibility. Technology has the potential to overcome some of these barriers, although it is unclear how aging adults with a chronic disease like COPD perceive technology-based platforms to support their disease self-management.

Objective:

Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the current retrospective secondary analysis explored if age moderated multiple factors that influence an individual’s openness toward an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention by persons with COPD.

Methods:

As part of an efficacy study, participants with COPD (n=59) were randomly assigned to use an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention for 12 weeks. At completion, they were asked about their experience with the intervention using a survey, including their perception of usefulness and ease of use, facilitating conditions (i.e., internet use frequency and ability), and use of the intervention technology. Logistic regression and general linear modeling examined the associations between age and these factors.

Results:

Participants ranged in age from 49 to 89 years (mean=68.66, SD=8.93). Disease severity was measured by FEV1% predicted (mean=60.01, SD=20.86). Nearly all participants (n=54) believed the intervention was useful. Regarding perceived ease of use, increasing age was associated with reporting it was easy to find the time to engage in the intervention. Regarding facilitating conditions, approximately half of the participants believed the automated step-count goals were too high (n=23) and many did not feel comfortable reaching their goals (n=22). The probability of these perceptions increased with age, even after accounting for disease severity. Age was not associated with other facilitating conditions or use of the technology.

Conclusions:

Age does not influence perceived usefulness or use of technology with an internet-mediated, pedometer-based physical activity intervention. Age is associated with certain perceptions of ease of use and facilitating conditions. Consideration of age of the user is needed when personalizing step-count goals and time needed to log in to the website. Clinical Trial: NCT01772082