Table 1.
Characteristics of first responders (n = 112) and professional drivers (n = 159) and their preferences for monitoring health indicators using wearable technology.
| Variable | First responders n (%) | Professional drivers n (%) | Chi-squared (P value) a |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ever used wearable technology
Yes No |
46 (45.1) 56 (54.9) |
142 (89.3) 17 (10.7) |
60.3
(<.0001) |
|
Currently use wearable technology
Yes No |
28 (27.5) 74 (72.5) |
134 (84.3) 25 (15.7) |
85.2
(<.0001) |
|
Exposed to hazardous materials at work
Yes No |
31 (30.7) 70 (69.3) |
117 (75.0) 39 (25.0) |
49.3
(<.0001) |
|
Preferred person to monitor health data
No one Myself Someone else Myself and someone else |
2 (2.0) 25 (25.0) 10 (10.0) 63 (63.0) |
2 (1.26) 34 (21.4) 67 (42.1) 56 (35.2) |
32.2
(<.0001) |
|
Barriers to using wearable technology in those who are not currently using it
Cost Lack of interest Durability Do not own one Lack of accuracy Privacy |
16 (21.0) 38 (50.0) 8 (10.5) 12 (15.8) 1 (1.3) 1 (1.3) |
0 14 (60.9) 0 9 (39.1) 0 0 |
N/A |
|
Heart rate
Yes No |
100 (98.0) 12 (2.0) |
140 (88.1) 19 (11.9) |
8.38
(.004) |
|
Blood pressure
Yes No |
95 (93.1) 7 (6.9) |
110 (69.2) 49 (30.8) |
21.2
(<.0001) |
|
Core body temperature
Yes No |
91 (89.2) 11 (10.8) |
101 (63.5) 58 (36.5) |
21.1
(<.0001) |
|
Skin temperature
Yes No |
68 (66.7) 34 (33.3) |
98 (61.6) 61 (38.4) |
0.68 (.41) |
|
Hydration level
Yes No |
88 (86.3) 14 (13.7) |
124 (78.0) 35 (22.0) |
2.80 (.09) |
|
Stability (maintenance of body position)
Yes No |
48 (47.1) 54 (52.9) |
141 (88.7) 18 (11.3) |
53.9
(<.0001) |
|
Falls
Yes No |
52 (51.0) 50 (49.0) |
91 (57.2) 68 (42.8) |
0.98 (.32) |
|
Breathing rate
Yes No |
89 (87.3) 13 (12.7) |
120 (75.5) 39 (24.5) |
5.41 (.02) |
|
Breathing depth
Yes No |
65 (63.7) 37 (36.3) |
107 (67.3) 52 (32.7) |
0.35 (.55) |
|
Blood oxygen levels
Yes No |
93 (91.2) 9 (8.8) |
122 (76.7) 37 (23.3) |
8.93
(.003) |
|
Respiration CO
2
levels
Yes No |
87 (85.3) 15 (14.7) |
104 (65.4) 55 (34.6) |
12.5
(.0004) |
|
Cortisol levels (stress)
Yes No |
88 (86.3) 14 (13.7) |
103 (64.8) 56 (35.2) |
14.6
(<.0001) |
|
Skin resistance (stress and hydration)
Yes No |
72 (70.6) 30 (29.4) |
113 (71.1) 46 (28.9) |
0.007 (.93) |
|
Classes of 13 health measures
High preference for measuring health Medium preference for measuring health Low preference for measuring health |
2 (2.0) 49 (48.0) 51 (50.0) |
15 (9.43) 83 (52.2) 61 (38.4) |
7.50
(.02) |
a
Bold values indicate statistically significant results at P<.05.
Abbreviation: N/A, not available.