Patient experiences of using wearable health monitors during cancer treatment: a qualitative study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Wearable health monitors (WHM) offer minimally invasive, ambulatory monitoring of physiological parameters and activity. WHMs are being used increasingly in healthcare but adoption for patients undergoing cancer treatment is limited in part due to a lack of understanding of patient intentions as they receive treatment. The aim of this study explores the patient experience of using WHMs during their cancer pathway, including barriers and enablers of WHM use. METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative approach was used with single semi-structured interviews conducted in focus groups with individuals enrolled in the EMBRaCE-GM study, where WHMs were worn for up to six months prior to, during and after treatment of either colorectal, lung, or head and neck cancer, or leukaemia/lymphoma. RESULTS: We identified three major themes: perceived patient benefits, barriers to the adoption of WHMs and the importance of treatment partnerships between patients and healthcare professionals. WHMs promoted positive behaviour change, prioritisation of own health, and represented a form of 'digital advocacy'. Potential barriers were aesthetic, experiential and technological. WHM introduction was time-sensitive, with patients finding their use acceptable at different stages in their cancer pathway. Patients desired reciprocal interaction with WHMs and were less concerned with data accuracy. DISCUSSION: This study identifies factors influencing patient decisions to use WHMs as part of cancer treatment. Novel findings include the optimal time to start wearing WHMs and the validity of measurements perceived as less of a concern for patients (in contrast to clinicians) who use wearable data with their own experiences as part of a sense-making exercise. Future work should focus on balancing patient and clinician expectations to provide guidance on the feasibility of WHM in routine clinical practice.