Habit Formation in Wearable Activity Tracker Use Among Older Adults: Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Behavioral Science
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Wearable activity trackers (WATs) promote behavior change, especially light activity beneficial for older adults.
• Continued use of WATs is a challenge, with initial gains often lost due to disengagement.
• Limited research exists on long-term WAT usage, highlighting the need for habit formation insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the habit formation mechanisms behind sustained wearable activity tracker use in older adults.
• To understand strategies older adults employ for long-term engagement with wearable technology.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 20 participants aged 65+.
• Participants had used wearable activity trackers for over six months.
• Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in user experiences and strategies.

Main Results:

• Eight themes related to habit formation were identified, including initiation, goal setting, contextual cues, action planning, and coping strategies.
• Long-term users initiated use with small, progressive goals and established routines using consistent time/location cues.
• Users employed creative cues, reminders, coping plans for challenges, and positive mindsets to manage lapses.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest practical strategies for enhancing long-term habit formation of WATs in older adults.
• Best practices from long-term users can guide the design of future technology-based behavior interventions.
• Understanding habit formation is key to improving sustained engagement with health informatics devices.