Abstract
The increasing prevalence of dementia has necessitated the introduction and use of healthcare wearable devices to augment the healthcare services delivered to people with dementia (PWDs). Unfortunately, evidence on user feedback and the real impact of the actual use of these devices on the quality of life of PWDs has not been fully explored, especially in the context of developing countries. This study, therefore, seeks to evaluate the impact of actual use behavior (AUB) of healthcare wearable devices on the quality of life (QoL) of PWDs in Ghana by using constructs from the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model and the SF-36 quality of life instrument. Data were collected from people with dementia and, in some cases, caregivers (acting as proxies) in three administrative regions of Ghana using structured questionnaires. Of the 420 questionnaires distributed, 356 were returned, giving a response rate of (356/420, 84.8%). Three hundred and twenty (320) responses were used for further analysis, employing the Partial Least Squares based on Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed a significant positive relationship between AUB and QoL (p < 0.001). Other predictors such as behavioral intention, facilitating conditions, effort expectancy and social influence were also found to significantly impact the actual use behavior of healthcare wearable devices among PWDs. The study also revealed that 4% (14) of patients rated their reported health transition associated with the use of healthcare wearable devices as excellent, 42.5% (136) as very good, and 39.4% (126) as good, respectively at the time of the study compared to a year ago. This study provided empirical evidence of the positive impact of the actual use of healthcare wearable devices on the quality of life of PWDs and further highlighted the factors that drive actual use behavior among PWDs in Ghana. Based on the findings of this study, stakeholders need to create the necessary conditions that will facilitate the adoption and use of healthcare wearable devices, as this will help improve the quality of life, reduce the burden of the disease on caregivers, and enable independent living of PWDs.
Highlights
The global statistics on health as reported by World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that over 55 million people have dementia, with approximately 60% living in lowand middle-income nations [1]
In terms of the actual responses to the eight items of the SF-36 instrument used to determine the impact of actual use behavior of healthcare wearable devices on the physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, emotional role, mental health, social functioning and the reported health transition, this study found a very high degree of perception of quality of life with regards to healthcare wearable device use
This study concludes that the actual use behavior of healthcare wearable devices impacts the quality of life of dementia patients
Summary
The global statistics on health as reported by World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that over 55 million people have dementia, with approximately 60% living in lowand middle-income nations [1]. The report further revealed that an estimated 10 million new persons are diagnosed with dementia yearly. Within the 20 years, the number of dementia cases is expected to double, reaching 3.48 million in 2030 and 7.62 million in 2050 [3,4]. According to the latest data published in 2017 by the WHO, Alzheimer’s and dementiarelated deaths in Ghana reached 1701 (0.8%) of total deaths, with an age-adjusted death rate of 16.47 per 100,000 [4], putting the country at number 102 in the world in terms of dementia cases [4]
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