Making Sense of Mobile and Web Based Wellness Information Technology: A Cross Generational Study

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) that can harness the knowledge and support of other people and allow individuals to manage and understand their health and wellness can empower individuals to actively manage their health, change their behaviors, and learn more about health conditions [1,2]. Examples include general social networking platforms such as Facebook [3], online patient communities [4], smartphones [5] and exercise oriented video games [6]. These applications generate data about and for the individual, data that can influence their health-related decision-making and technology adoption. Individuals' preferences about using such applications, useful features, and related factors will be predicated upon their previous experiences with ICTs, similar systems and other contextualizing concerns, including what others think about them. The popularity and potential of user-targeted health applications for personal empowerment argues for research that can provide us with a deeper understanding of how people perceive such technologies and their interests and concerns about sharing health-related information.