Health Behaviour Changes following Personalized Feedback Reports: A HANDDS-ONT Study.
Abstract
Paired with health feedback, wearable technologies can influence health behaviours in older adults and those with neurodegenerative diseases (NDD). However, our understanding of how feedback influences behaviour in these groups is limited. The author completed a secondary analysis of survey responses from 203 participants, 98 controls and 105 with NDD enrolled in the Health in Aging, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Dementias in Ontario Study. Participants received personalized health feedback reports generated from wearable sensor data. There were no group differences in the proportion of people endorsing (p = 0.086, η² = 0.12) or the number of health behaviour changes made (t(200.31) = 1.283, p = 0.201, d = 0.180). Two factors were influential: sharing reports with family/friends (OR = 2.258, p = 0.021) and perceived report helpfulness (OR = 0.527, p = 0.001). A thematic analysis revealed subthemes of contemplating change, seeking health information, and social support in behaviour change.