Investigating the Relationship Between Personal Health Technology and HRQoL: the Mediating Role of Health Consciousness

Meijer, Levie (2025) Investigating the Relationship Between Personal Health Technology and HRQoL: the Mediating Role of Health Consciousness. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Nowadays, more and more people use personal health technology (PHT) to track their health. This includes apps and wearable devices like smartwatches that monitor physical activity, sleep, and other health factors. These technologies are often promoted as tools to help people live healthier lives. This study explored whether using PHT leads to better health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which refers to how people perceive their physical and mental well-being. The research also examined whether health consciousness acts as a mediator between PHT use and HRQoL. The study surveyed 72 people, aged 17 to 87, in the city of Groningen. Participants answered questions about whether they use health technology, how health-conscious they are, and how they rate their overall well-being. A multiple regression analysis was then used to analyze whether there was a connection between these factors. the results showed no significant relationship between using health technology and health-related quality of life. People who used PHT did not report better well-being than those who didn’t. Additionally, health consciousness did not act as a mediator between PHT use and HRQoL. This challenges the common belief that health apps and wearables automatically lead to better health outcomes. While they can be useful for monitoring and encouraging healthy behaviors, simply using them does not necessarily make people feel healthier. The study suggests that personalized support is key to making health technology more effective. Simply providing data is not enough—PHT should be designed to actively encourage behavior change, build confidence, and meet individual needs.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor)
Supervisor name:	Li, Zijun
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	None [Bachelor Psychology]
Date Deposited:	25 Mar 2025 08:10
Last Modified:	25 Mar 2025 08:10
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4784

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