Elder Acceptance of Health Monitoring Devices in the Home

This study examined frail elders' acceptance of the concept of home monitoring devices. With the potential of such devices to ultimately assist many older persons, acceptance of the device in the individual's home is a critical component. Elders who view devices negatively--as unnecessary, unattractive, or intrusive--may be less likely to use the device if installed or less likely to allow them to be installed. For the participants in the current study, the results suggest strong acceptance of the concept of home health monitoring and the devices to make the system work. When questioned on device appearance a majority of the subjects felt that the devices would be acceptable in their homes, and initial reactions to the devices were primarily favorable. Equipment characteristics have been identified as one of the determining factors of perceived intrusiveness of home monitoring devices (Fisk, 1997). Study participants made several suggestions pertaining to device features and appearance. A common criticism related to device size, especially concerning the blood pressure cuff which was referred to as "gaudy" by one study participant. Participants offered suggestions such as making devices smaller, providing control for volume adjustment, and providing voice activation. At least one participant expressed a concern over device functioning in the event of distance traveling. Subjective comments such as "I think it would help many people," "It's very reasonable and important in several ways," and "...people would be more independent and safe," provided anecdotal support of device acceptance. Although a majority of the study participants had favorable responses to the devices and monitoring systems, many of their subjective comments reflected positive views regarding use by others as opposed to personal use. This finding may suggest that the participants did not personally identify with the need to use such devices but rather viewed the devices as relevant and acceptable for "the person who absolutely needs it." However, a majority of the participants identified "relieving personal worry" as a possible benefit of the home monitoring system which suggests personal identification with the potential benefits. The findings of study participants' willingness to pay, and a desire to maintain communications on a consistent basis with monitoring services, may demonstrate overall acceptance of the idea of home monitoring devices/services and establishes a need for continued research in product development. During the interviews, many of the subjects expressed enthusiasm and interest over the prospect of the home monitoring devices and systems with which they were relatively unfamiliar. This suggests a need for further consumer education regarding use of home monitoring devices and systems. Aside from the relatively small sample size, one limitation of this study relates to the study participants' understanding of the devices in relation to their current needs. The questionnaire results provided hypothetical acceptance of devices from a usefulness and aesthetic point of view. However, the findings may not totally reflect the study participants' actual willingness or desire to utilize the applicable devices in their homes. Further research is suggested in the area of assessment of potential consumer groups' perceptions of their current health status, functional limitations and needs, and more extensive research regarding perceptions of the potential benefits of using home monitoring devices. Further research in product development and clinical trials of existing home monitoring devices is also recommended.