Wearable Healthcare Technology Adoption: The Interplay of Perceived Usefulness, Trust, Privacy, and Behavioural Intention

The proliferation of wearable healthcare technologies encompassing smartwatches, fitness trackers, continuous glucose monitors, and advanced biosensors marks a pivotal shift in personal health management and preventive care. These devices enable real-time tracking of vital signs, physical activity, sleep patterns, and even predictive health alerts, empowering users with actionable insights previously confined to clinical settings. In an era where chronic diseases account for over 70% of global deaths (WHO, 2023), wearables promise to bridge the gap between reactive healthcare and proactive wellness. Yet, despite their technical sophistication and market growth projected to reach $186 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024) adoption rates remain uneven, particularly among diverse demographics in emerging markets like India. Central to this disparity are the intertwined factors of perceived usefulness, trust, privacy, and behavioural intention, which collectively shape user acceptance. Drawing from established frameworks such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), perceived usefulness emerges as a cornerstone, reflecting users’ beliefs that wearables deliver tangible benefits like improved health outcomes and lifestyle integration. However, these benefits are tempered by apprehensions over data privacy—amid rising cyber threats and regulatory scrutiny under frameworks like India’s DPDP Act 2023—and trust in device accuracy and vendor reliability. Behavioural intention, the precursor to actual usage, hinges on this delicate balance, often undermined by usability hurdles or ethical concerns over data monetization. This study addresses these dynamics through a quantitative lens, analysing data from 100 wearable users via Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to quantify their interplay. By elucidating how perceived usefulness drives adoption while trust and privacy act as critical moderators, the research offers actionable insights for developers, policymakers, and healthcare providers. Ultimately, fostering widespread adoption requires not just innovation, but user-centric designs that prioritize ethical data governance and demonstrable value.