Lived Experiences of Emotional Adaptation to Wearable Health Devices in Type-2 Diabetes Management
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Abstract
The integration of wearable health devices has transformed chronic disease management within the field of digital health, offering continuous monitoring and personalized feedback to patients. Despite technological progress, little is known about how individuals with type-2 diabetes emotionally experience and adapt to these devices in everyday life. This study aims to explore how individuals with type-2 diabetes emotionally interpret, respond to, and adapt to wearable health technologies over time. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this study explores the lived emotional and psychological experiences of individuals using wearable devices for diabetes self-care. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective digital diaries with ten adult participants, and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings revealed five key experiential themes, including initial emotional resistance, redefinition of control, negotiation of social visibility, integration into daily routines, and identity transformation. These themes highlight a dynamic process through which users gradually develop emotional attachment and reconstruct their health identity. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how wearable devices are more than tools—they become emotional companions and symbols of self-management. These insights inform the design and implementation of empathetic digital health solutions, and open new directions for future research on user-centered technology in chronic care.
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