Accessibility and usage patterns of wearable devices among Chinese adults: the Huawei Blood Pressure Health Study

TL;DR

The study examines how Chinese adults use wearable devices for blood pressure monitoring and finds regional and demographic differences in usage.

Contribution

It identifies a digital health divide and suggests optimal follow-up intervals for maintaining device compliance.

Findings

73.8% of participants used the Huawei Watch D for blood pressure monitoring.

Blood pressure monitoring rates decreased over time after receiving risk alerts.

Hypertensive patients had higher initial monitoring rates but also showed declining engagement.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the ownership of wearable health devices across different demographic groups and usage patterns among Chinese adults.

This was a cross-sectional study, with all data originating from the Huawei Blood Pressure Health Study, a real-world study aimed at exploring blood pressure management through wearable devices in China. Data were remotely collected using mobile phones and Huawei Watch D from 23 February 2022 to 31 March 2024. The system utilized artificial intelligence algorithms to assess participants’ risk of hypertension and provided risk alarm feedback via mobile phones and watches. A total of 75 918 participants from 31 provinces were included, with an average age of 47 years. Most of the participants were concentrated in the economically developed South China and East China regions. Among the participants, 73.8% used the Watch D for blood pressure monitoring, and 10.5% received risk alerts. The rate of blood pressure monitoring on the day they received the alert was 78%. However, the rate significantly decreased between 6 months and 1 year (Mann–Kendall test, Z = −2.85, P < 0.05). For hypertensive patients, the blood pressure monitoring rate was 84% on the day they joined the study and decreased over time (Mann–Kendall test, Z = −3.09, P < 0.05). However, it remained above 50% within 6 months.

This study provides evidence of the digital health divide in the utilization of wearable devices among the Chinese population. Additionally, it proposes a potentially follow-up interval for employing wearable devices for maintaining compliance with blood pressure monitoring.

URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/

ChiCTR2200057354

Graphical Abstract

Figures