title: Older Adults' Experiences Using a Commercially Available Monitor to Self-Track Their Physical Activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity contributes to older adults' autonomy, mobility, and quality of life as they age, yet fewer than 1 in 5 engage in activities as recommended. Many older adults track their exercise using pencil and paper, or their memory. Commercially available physical activity monitors (PAM) have the potential to facilitate these tracking practices and, in turn, physical activity. An assessment of older adults' long-term experiences with PAM is needed to understand this potential.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess short and long-term experiences of adults >70 years old using a PAM (Fitbit One) in terms of acceptance, ease-of-use, and usefulness: domains in the technology acceptance model.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 95 community-dwelling older adults, all of whom received a PAM as part of randomized controlled trial piloting a fall-reducing physical activity promotion intervention. Ten-item surveys were administered 10 weeks and 8 months after the study started. Survey ratings are described and analyzed over time, and compared by sex, education, and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were mostly women (71/95, 75%), 70 to 96 years old, and had some college education (68/95, 72%). Most participants (86/95, 91%) agreed or strongly agreed that the PAM was easy to use, useful, and acceptable both 10 weeks and 8 months after enrolling in the study. Ratings dropped between these time points in all survey domains: ease-of-use (median difference 0.66 points, P=.001); usefulness (median difference 0.16 points, P=.193); and acceptance (median difference 0.17 points, P=.032). Differences in ratings by sex or educational attainment were not statistically significant at either time point. Most participants 80+ years of age (28/37, 76%) agreed or strongly agreed with survey items at long-term follow-up, however their ratings were significantly lower than participants in younger age groups at both time points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study results indicate it is feasible for older adults (70-90+ years of age) to use PAMs when self-tracking their physical activity, and provide a basis for developing recommendations to integrate PAMs into promotional efforts.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02433249; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02433249 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6gED6eh0I).
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, School of Nursing, Minneapolis, MN, United States. skmcmaho@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Siobhan K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3036-9859
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Beth
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6034-568X
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4507-1609
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8435-9672
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Jean F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1431-8469
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wyman
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7847-4500
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rothman
keywords: Aged; Ambulatory; Mobile Health; Monitoring; Motivation; Physical Activity; Self-Appraisal; Wearables