Wearable device adoption and its role in healthcare management: A cross-sectional study

Objectives This study aims to investigate the utilization of wearable electronic devices and their impact on personal health management among male Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods The current study adopted a cross-sectional design. Data were gathered via online survey links on two social media platforms, namely Facebook and WhatsApp. The questionnaire consisted of seven sections, encompassing demographic information, insights on the types of wearable devices used, their applications, challenges related to these devices, features of the wearables, their role in healthcare management, and their impact on health enhancement. Descriptive analysis was performed to assess the distribution, frequencies, and percentages of the variables. Results The study involving 320 Indian expatriates found high ownership rates of fitness trackers (85.9%) and smart health watches (77.5%). A noteworthy proportion also used smart jewelry (14.4%) and smart glasses (12.2%). Predominantly, participants utilized diet apps (94.1%) and fitness apps (100%). All devices were universally perceived as lightweight and easy to use. Over 90% endorsed features like time/date display, message alerts, good battery life, and water resistance. Technical issues accounted for 64.4% of reported problems. Those actively managing health consistently used fitness trackers (94.1%) and smart health watches (100%), reporting significant health improvements (52.8% ‘very good,’ and 35.3% ‘good’). Conclusion The study indicated that a notable percentage of Indian expatriates possessed and were keenly interested in fitness trackers and smart health watches. The findings suggest that participants perceived wearable devices as helpful in supporting their well-being and healthcare management of the expatriate community.