Making sense of mobile- and web-based wellness information technology: cross-generational study

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Health

Background:

• Personalized health management increasingly utilizes information and communication technologies (ICTs) for behavior change and chronic condition management.
• These technologies aim to support healthier lifestyles and overall wellness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore generational perspectives on designing and using collaborative health and wellness management technologies.
• To understand the potential roles of these technologies across young, middle-aged, and older adults.

Main Methods:

• Conducted face-to-face semistructured interviews with 21 participants across three age cohorts (young: 18-25, middle-aged: 35-50, older: ≥65).
• Utilized paper prototype systems and video skits to assess conceptualizations of health computing.
• Assessed how different age groups envision the integration of health and wellness computing into their lives.

Main Results:

• Young adults desired active control over health information presentation.
• Middle-aged adults exhibited nuanced expectations, balancing technology use with work and life activities.
• Older adults expressed reservations about broad health information sharing but valued one-way sharing with family and aggregated data.

Conclusions:

• Future collaborative ICT health applications require age-specific design strategies.
• Young adult applications should integrate with social networking platforms.
• Middle-aged and older adult applications should focus on small, intimate social networks and discreet, selective data sharing.
• Systems for middle-aged adults need to support episodic needs and have low barriers to entry for non-internet users.
• Systems for older adults should facilitate one-way sharing, aggregate data, and allow preselection of recipients.