JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The Apple Watch is not a medical device per se; it is a smart wearable device that is increasingly being used for health monitoring. Evidence exists that the Apple Watch Series 6 can reliably measure SpO2 in patients with COPD under controlled circumstances.

Objective:

Despite these advances, a significant gap remains in understanding older adults’ acceptance of the Watch as a component of telemonitoring, which was the aim of this qualitative study.

Methods:

Data from 10 older adults with COPD who agreed to wear the Watch were content analyzed.

Results:

Using the UTAUT2 model, results showed that participants experienced potential health benefits; however, the inability of the Watch to reliably measure SpO2 when in respiratory distress was concerning. Participants’ level of tech-savviness varied which caused some fear and frustration at the start; yet all felt supported by family and would have explored more features if they owned the Watch. All agreed that the Watch is mainly a medical tool and not a gadget.

Conclusions:

To conclude, although the Watch may enhance their physical health and wellbeing, results indicated that participants are more likely to accept the Watch if it ultimately proves to be useful when experiencing respiratory distress.