Determinants of Continuous Smartwatch Use and Data-Sharing Preferences With Physicians, Public Health Authorities, and Private Companies: Cross-Sectional Survey of Smartwatch Users

Abstract

Background: Smartwatches are widely adopted globally for tracking health metrics, offering potential for enhancing individual health care and public health efforts. Continuous use of the devices and users’ willingness to share the data collected are critical to realizing their full benefits. Objective: This study aimed to identify key factors that determine continuous smartwatch use and users’ comfort levels in sharing health data with health care providers and public health authorities. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of current and past smartwatch users (aged >18 years) was conducted to assess determinants of continuous use based on the Expectation-Confirmation Model (ECM) and user comfort levels with different data-sharing methods. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate relationships between habit formation, satisfaction, perceived enjoyment, and perceived usefulness with continuous use. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze user comfort in sharing data, comparing noninternet- versus internet-based sharing methods and fully versus partially anonymized data. Results: A total of 273 responses were analyzed, with participants aged 18‐65 (mean 35.6, SD 11.7) years. The results indicate that continuous use of smartwatches is explained by habit (β=.35; P