Evidence mapPaperPMID 39726066Full record

ArticleInternational journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being2025

Exploring digital health: a qualitative study on adults' experiences with health apps and wearables.

Gaia Leuzzi, Filippo Recenti, Benedetto Giardulli, Aldo Scafoglieri, Marco Testa

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gaia LeuzziDepartment of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-8478-9621
Filippo RecentiDepartment of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.ORCID 0009-0006-6240-8230
Benedetto GiardulliDepartment of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0079-0714
Aldo ScafoglieriDepartment of Physical Education and Rehabilitation, Experimental Anatomy Research Group (EXAN), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-9692-9513
Marco TestaDepartment of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8643-7200

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFrom an active ageing perspective, investigating how adults use apps and wearables for health purposes might improve well-being strategies supported by widely adopted technologies. This study investigated adults' perceptions of using apps and wearables for health purposes.

methodsA qualitative interview study was conducted. Adults (+18) using an app/wearable to monitor at least one health variable (e.g. physical activity and diet) were eligible. Transcriptions were analysed using the Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

resultsNineteen participants (34.3 ± 14.5 years; men/women: 8/11) joined the study and from their transcriptions 5 themes were created: 1) Easy and accurate monitoring of health: balancing users' needs and technological challenges; 2) Self-improvement and motivation: usefulness of rewarding behaviours and gamification towards achievements; 3) Requiring personalized apps and wearables: aesthetics and wearability; 4) Beyond simple monitoring: prevention and care throughout daily life; 5) Awareness of potentially dangerous digital data world: from distress to fixation.

conclusionsApps and wearables were highly valued by our participants for effectively managing and enhancing their health and sports performance while ensuring education, motivation, ease of use, safety, and prevention. However, issues such as privacy concerns, wearability, and lack of integration need to be addressed to improve adoption, enhance usability and support active ageing initiatives.

Indexed as

ExerciseMobile ApplicationsMotivationQualitative ResearchWearable Electronic DevicesAdultAgedDigital HealthFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultactive ageinghealthmHealthMobile applicationswearable electronic devices

Identifiers

PMID39726066
PMCPMC11703456

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.