JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The increased pervasiveness of digital health technology is producing large amounts of person-generated health data (PGHD). This data can empower people to track and monitor their own health in their daily lives to promote prevention and management of disease. Women make up one of the largest groups of consumers of digital self-tracking technology.

Objective:

In this scoping review, we aimed to: (1) identify the different areas of women’s health monitored with PGHD from connected health devices, (2) explore personal metrics collected by these technologies, and (3) synthesize facilitators and barriers for women’s adoption and use of connected health devices.

Methods:

Following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews, we searched six databases for articles published between January 1, 2015, and February 29, 2020. Papers were included if they targeted women or females and incorporated the use of digital health tools that collected PGHD actively or passively outside of a clinical setting.

Results:

Our research resulted in a total of 406 papers included in this review, from research conducted around the world. Articles including the use of PGHD for women steadily increased from 2015-2020. The health areas that the articles focused on spanned across several topics, with pregnancy and postpartum being the most prevalent, followed by cancer. Types of digital health used to collect PGHD included mobile apps, wearables, websites, the Internet of Things or smart devices, 2-way messaging, interactive voice calls, and implantable devices. A thematic analysis of 168 papers that investigated acceptability or usability revealed six themes regarding facilitators and barriers to women’s use of digital health technology for the collection of PGHD: (1) Accessibility and connectivity, (2) Design and functionality, (3) Accuracy and credibility, (4) Audience and adoption, (5) Impact on community and health service, and (6) Impact on health and behaviour.

Conclusions:

Leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of digital health tools to address women’s health concerns was on a steady rise. The prominence of pregnancy and postpartum-related tools reflects the strong focus on reproductive health in women’s health research and highlights opportunities for digital technology development in other women’s health topics. Digital health technology was most acceptable when it was relevant to the target audience, was seen as user-friendly, and considered women’s personalization preferences, while also ensuring accuracy of measurements and credibility of information. The integration of digital technologies into clinical care will continue to evolve, and factors such as liability and healthcare provider workload need to be considered. While acknowledging the diversity of individual needs, the utilization and creation of PGHD through digital technologies can positively impact the self-care management of numerous women's health journeys. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in an increased adoption and acceptance of digital health technology. This study could serve as a baseline comparison for how this field has evolved as a result.