Understanding routines around medicine intake through a data-enabled design approach

Abstract

Adhering to the prescribed medication schedule is one of the crucial steps that lead to successful recovery or treatment for chronic diseases. However, more than 50% of prescription medicine is not taken as instructed. Existing interventions that focus on reminders often lack detailed insights into people's daily intake routines. Ubiquitous sensor systems in combination with qualitative data can facilitate detailed insights into medication routines. We draw on the Data-Enabled Design framework to gain a better understanding of behaviors around medicine intake. This study implements the contextual step by collecting data with a sensor module as an attachment to an existing pillbox. The resulting data is then discussed with the participant to reveal novel insights into medication non-adherence. We show the first promising results from a one-week user-test with one participant and discuss the next steps in the Data-Enabled Design process.