JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Amid the rise in mobile health (mHealth), the Apple Watch now has the capability to measure peripheral blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). Although the company indicated that the Watch is not a medical device, evidence suggested that SpO2 measurements among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are accurate in controlled settings. Yet, to our knowledge, the SpO2 function has not been validated for COPD patients in naturalistic settings.

Objective:

This qualitative study explored the experiences of patients with COPD using the Apple Watch Series 6 versus a traditional finger pulse oximeter for home SpO2 self-monitoring.

Methods:

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 female and 2 male participants with moderate to severe COPD, and transcripts were qualitatively analyzed. All received a Watch to monitor their SpO2 for 5 months.

Results:

Due to respiratory distress, the Watch was unable to collect reliable SpO2 measurements, as it requires the patient to remain in a stable position. However, despite the physical limitations and lack of reliable SpO2 values, participants overwhelmingly expressed a preference towards the Watch. Moreover, participants’ health needs and their unique accessibility experiences influenced which device was more appropriate for self-monitoring purposes. Overall, all shared the perceived importance of prioritizing their physical COPD symptoms over the device selection to manage their disease.

Conclusions:

Contrasting results between participant preferences and smartwatch limitations warrant further investigation into the reliability and accuracy of the SpO2 function of the Watch, and the balance between self-management, medical judgment, and dependence on self-monitoring technology.