Adoption and impact of wearable healthcare devices on health outcomes among Malaysian tertiary students

Objective: The integration of wearable healthcare devices (e.g. smartwatches) into daily life has grown significantly worldwide, offering opportunities for continuous health monitoring and disease prevention. Despite their potential, the adoption of such technologies among younger populations, particularly students, remains underexplored. This study aims to explore the adoption and impact of wearable healthcare devices on health states and behaviors among students of tertiary institutions in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students across tertiary institutions in Malaysia from December 2022 to August 2023 using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Data collected from the study respondents include sociodemographic characteristics, digital technology usage, wearable healthcare device usage, eHealth literacy, and health-related quality of life. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the adoption of wearable healthcare devices. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 450 participants, with 80.2% using a wearable healthcare device. Most users were females (74%), under 20 years old (62.9%), and undergraduate students (75.6%). The findings showed a positive attitude toward the devices, with perceived usefulness (57.1%) being the main factor for adoption. Privacy concerns were significant, and health beliefs notably influenced adoption intentions. Participants had adequate eHealth literacy, with an average health-related quality of life score of 1.7 according to the EuroQol Five-dimension Three-level Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L). The level of study significantly influenced adoption intention (p < 0.05), with pre-university students exhibiting higher inclinations toward adopting the devices. Conclusion: The study indicates that the functionality of these devices encourages tertiary students to adopt them for healthier lifestyles. However, students often lack confidence in identifying reliable health resources online, which can impact their ability to make informed health decisions.