A Family Health App: Engaging Children to Manage Wellness of Adults

Abstract

The pandemic of lifestyle-related chronic diseases has led to an advent of personal health informatics, often using mobiles and gamification to persuade individuals to adopt healthful lifestyles. However, this approach can constrain benefits to younger, more technically literate beneficiaries, despite the higher need for PHI in older populations. In prior work, we proposed that children in the household aid in reaching beneficiaries, targeting intermediated use. This study compares the use of two versions of a nutrition and exercise monitoring app in 14 households. One supported logging and occasional SMS reminders while the other added gamification elements. We measure self-determination with respect to each version using pre- and post-tests, also drawing on observation and interview data. Our findings suggest that virtual rewards can enhance use of such systems through intermediaries, via benefits such as increased perceived competence. We highlight the challenges and design implications involved in fostering engagement in our system.