Exploring Patient Experiences in Managing Chronic Illness at Home with Wearable Medical Devices

Abstract

Wearable medical devices (WMDs) are rapidly transforming chronic care by integrating health technology into patients’ daily lives. While research has emphasized technical performance and clinical outcomes, less attention has been given to users’ personal experiences and interpretations in home-based health monitoring.  Despite increased adoption, there remains a limited understanding of the personal meanings users assign to WMDs—raising the question: how do individuals make sense of living with wearable devices in the context of chronic illness? This study uses an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore users’ lived experiences and provide insight into the emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions of device use. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with chronic disease patients using WMDs, and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results revealed four key themes: the duality of surveillance and support, empowerment through self-monitoring, emotional attachment to technology, and privacy-related concerns. These themes highlight how WMDs are not only functional tools but also deeply embedded in the subjective experience of illness management. The findings enhance our understanding of how digital health technologies reshape user identities, care relationships, and perceptions of autonomy—suggesting the need for more human-centered design and implementation strategies in digital health research.