Experiences of Rural-Dwelling Children Wearing Physical Activity Trackers: An Exploratory Study

TL;DR

This study explores how rural children and their caregivers experience using activity trackers to support health programs in rural areas.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the feasibility and acceptability of using wrist-worn trackers in rural-dwelling children.

Findings

Children found the trackers acceptable and checked their step counts regularly.

Caregivers preferred trackers that monitored activity without location sharing.

Low caregiver burden and device interactivity improved device wear times.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Although there is a need for evidence-based physical activity programs in rural communities, evaluating such programs is often challenging due to access-related barriers and measurement tools that are not designed for rural contexts. This study aimed to explore and better understand the day-to-day experiences of rural-dwelling children using wrist-worn PA trackers as part of a study to develop a health promotion program. Methods: Ten caregivers and child dyads were enrolled (n = 20). The children wore accelerometers pre- and post-intervention. Semi-structured interviews were completed post-intervention and were audio recorded, transcribed, and summary reports were generated based on recurring themes. Results: The children had a mean age of 8.7 (SD = 1.4) years and the majority were male (80%). The caregivers were female, white, and had a mean age of 43.6 (SD = 8.5) years, with an annual income of ≥USD 40,000. Factors contributing to device wear times included low caregiver burden, device functioning as a watch, and device interactivity. The children reported that the devices were acceptable, but may have changed their physical activity behaviors, with children regularly checking their step count. The caregivers preferred devices that monitored the children’s activity levels without sharing location data. Conclusions: Identifying acceptable and feasible strategies to measure physical activity is vital to developing effective health promotion efforts. The lessons learned may help develop evaluation plans for implementing rural physical activity programming.