Abstract
Half of American women do not sustain recommended levels of physical activity (PA). Wearable activity trackers (WATs) may increase both awareness of, and PA if worn daily. Thus, WATs should include features and designs that encourage daily use. This study aimed to determine WAT features and designs most appealing to women and the motivational effects of various WATs. For this mixed-method pilot study, 15 women each trialed three WATs; documented daily PA levels; and rated their satisfaction with each device's comfort, features, and motivational effect. Additionally, participants shared experiences and feedback in focus groups. Features that promote adoption of WATs among women are, 1) comfort 2) extended battery life, 3) durability, 4) immediate PA feedback, 5) intuitive PA sensing, and 6) programmability. WATs with these preferred qualities may effectively motivate women to increase PA, leading to improved overall health, and reduce healthcare costs.
Degree
MS
College and Department
Nursing; Nursing
Rights
https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Bate, Danielle A., "Wearable Activity Trackers for Women: Motivating Factors for Increasing Physical Activity" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 10121.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/10121
Date Submitted
2022-08-09
Document Type
Thesis
Handle
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd12959
Keywords
physical activity, women, motivation, wearable activity trackers (WATs), mHealth, self-determination
Language
english