Patient Experiences of Using Wearable Health Monitors During Cancer Treatment: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Oncology
• Patient Experience Research

Background:

• Wearable health monitors (WHMs) offer ambulatory monitoring but face limited adoption in cancer care due to unclear patient intentions.
• Understanding patient experiences is crucial for integrating WHMs into cancer treatment pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient experiences with WHMs during cancer treatment.
• To identify barriers and enablers influencing WHM use in oncology patients.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological qualitative approach utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• Focus groups with patients undergoing treatment for colorectal, lung, head and neck cancer, or leukaemia/lymphoma.
• WHMs were worn for up to six months, encompassing pre-treatment, during, and post-treatment phases.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: perceived patient benefits, adoption barriers, and the significance of patient-provider partnerships.
• WHMs facilitated positive behavior change, health prioritization, and 'digital advocacy'.
• Barriers included aesthetic, experiential, and technological factors; optimal WHM introduction timing varied across the cancer care pathway. Patients valued reciprocal interaction over absolute data accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Identified factors influencing patient decisions for WHM use in cancer treatment.
• Novel findings highlight optimal timing for WHM initiation and patient-centric data interpretation.
• Future research should align patient and clinician expectations for feasible WHM integration into routine clinical practice.