Self-care is an essential mechanism to ensure heal regulation and monitoring health illness. According to the Middle Range Theory of Self-Care of Chronic Illness, self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring and self-care management were introduced and presented (Riegel et al., 2012). These concepts reiterate of how one distinguishes the symptoms and monitors it through rigid monitoring on one’s condition (Riegel et al., 2018). Nowadays, people are monitoring their health with the use of technology. With the advancement of technology, even clinicians are leaning towards adapting technology so as to actively monitor their status and progress (Reigel et al., 2019).
There are numerous studies that puts technological advancement on front as a way of promoting self-care towards end users. A study conducted by Bice, Wall, Hollman & Adkins (2019) students encounter difficulty in dealing with their academics to the point of lack of physical activity. These individuals give more attention to their educational activities rather than own needs of their own bodies which can lead to risk in health deterioration, possibly catching a disease or a chronic illness (cited in Elsawy & Higgins, 2010; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). These instances are most likely to occur in incoming college freshmen on college or universities as they have to juggle their time in weighing down their options to their priorities at school. Needless to say, the activities of the students are compromising their health due to stress and fatigue and lack of active lifestyle which could help lessen their physical burden (cited in Ellis, Compton, Tyson, & Bohlig, 2002). Technology comes into play which is mostly incorporated and used throughout the day especially in the modern age where the advancement is increasing at a faster rate. Computer-based programs are as convenient amongst students especially smart technology such as mobile applications and smart watch that help them track their results. They may able to see, decipher and judge the results coming from these devices and integrate them in their healthy living. This, of course, is in limitation to their daily schedule (Bice et al., 2019).
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Computing the body mass index (BMI) of the individual is one of the common and easy way to determine if one is on appropriate weight based on one’s height and weight (Stevens, Katz, & Huxley, 2010). The previously mentioned study had conducted 147 female college students and 71 male students to participate in relation to technology use in response to their physical behaviors. Out of 235 college students, 41.3% of them have utilized and assisted by technology to help them exercise and initiate to do physical activities. This is based on the students’ physical activity levels, number of days of physical activity and the amount of time during the day the activity was done. The researchers of the study deduced that technology use has a significant effect on vigorous physical activity. It can help promote and encourage not only young individuals but also individuals on all ages to track unhealthy lifestyle easily with the integration of technology, and thus correcting behaviors that one normally does. It does not only limit in physical activity but also eating habits that can contribute to one’s health. Using such mobile applications for health monitoring help boost self-confidence and satisfaction in physical change that can help an individual transition as a conscious with their own health and wellness (Bice et al., 2019).
Bucci, Schwannauer and Berry (2019) also supported the claim of beneficiaries of technology, this time, on mental health. In likelihood of technology use, it is mostly used as a medium for tracking self-assessment on their well-being. This includes social media, online blogs and forums (cited in Batterham & Calear, 2017; Berry, Lobban, Emsley, & Bucci, 2016). Digital assessments were then available to showcase online end-users to assist people who are experiencing mental problems and educate people on how to approach individuals suffering with mood disorders (Murray et al., 2015). Methods were also incorporated and informing through a digital platform to people who are reluctant to have personal meet-up treatments. The said examples mentioned are beneficial in the modern age especially that technology plays a huge role in engagement and communication. The digital tools also can help report educate the user on how they can able to regulate difficulties in such a way that, in one’s way, can cope challenging experience. Therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, are incorporated through self-monitoring apps and websites to further ascertain their condition, reduce severity and conduct self-assessments efficiently. Having said that, there are also downsides to this innovation. Some of those are the tendency of unvalidated material being used, which can be abused and be bound for tolerance, security of data, especially that transactions are through internet and the lack of contact between client since it is only limited on-screen and not in personal interaction (Bucci, Schwannauer and Berry, 2019). According to Berry et al (2017), Twitter is one of the social media websites which is notorious for people discussing mental health issues and promotions. It is convenient for them to share their experience without leaving the house and face other people. Disadvantage of using Twitter and other related social media sites is that the experience of others can be mirrored onto self. Referencing what other people have through can be a source of disapproval and shame, particularly prone on people who feel alone, rather than inspire to do better. Despite on the negatives, technology tremendously helped us in such a way that it gives support to those people who essentially needed much intervention which do not give threat to them.
A qualitative study discussed the perspective and experience of elderly towards using technology as an aid towards monitoring their mental health. With fifteen (15) participants, they round up with a deduction that usage of digital interface and gadgets help them understand their condition and minimizing their reluctance on using electronic devices that not only can reduce their loneliness, but can improve their mood such as watching online videos. The challenge identified by the participants was recognizing the symbols and the user interface of the gadget, especially when going to a website (Andrews, Brown, Hawley & Astell, 2019).
Internet-delivered psychological treatments had been advantageous in getting clients due to low consumption of money and people are now browsing to the internet conveniently and can book a clinician without going outside, however further studies are still needed to assess whether giving a psychological intervention to the affected person on screen can be effective all throughout the process (Andersson, Titov, Dear, Rozental, & Carlbring, 2019).
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