A study on user satisfaction with medical devices for the elderly: The case of blood pressure monitors

Against the backdrop of global population ageing, cognitive decline not only limits the quality of life for older adults but also presents a critical challenge to their independent and safe use of health monitoring tools. In this context, this study uses blood pressure monitors as an example to systematically analyse the key factors influencing older users' satisfaction and their underlying mechanisms. It aims to provide a theoretical foundation for optimising the design of health products for older adults from a cognitive adaptability perspective. The research began with semi-structured interviews; subsequently, grounded theory was employed to organise the interview data, which was then integrated with relevant literature to build a theoretical framework for structural equation modelling (SEM). Following this, questionnaires were distributed, and after preprocessing the data, SEM was used to quantify the linear relationships between variables. Finally, artificial neural networks (ANN) were utilised to measure the non-linear relationships between variables. Results show that physiological factors and adult child support have the most significant influence on satisfaction, while product configuration, interaction factors, and psychological factors also have substantial explanatory power. As a result, the study recommends prioritising interaction designs that are easy to recognise, operate, and understand in blood pressure monitor design to reduce cognitive load for elderly users and improve satisfaction. This study offers an empirical foundation and design guidance for developing age-friendly medical products that support cognitive health. The strategy has a guiding role in the research and design of medical products for older people.