Consumer Adoption of Digital Technologies for Lifestyle Monitoring

Despite their potential, the adoption of wearable devices has been relatively slow when compared to other digital technologies. This paper investigates, grounding on the Theory of Planned Behavior, the adoption by end users of digital technologies for lifestyle monitoring. Data on consumers’ perception and usage of wearable devices have been collected through a survey administered to 1,000 Italian citizens and further analyzed through a Structural Equation Model approach. Results show that, above the functional value of the device, external influence, particularly doctor opinion, exerts an essential role in adoption. Online health literacy proves to be a relevant factor as well, showing the importance of cultural patterns in wearables diffusion. Implications for academicians, practitioners and policy-makers are provided.