Overview

During the study, people were asked about their daily use of technology and how they used technology to support their COPD. One of the main findings from the study was that people were using digital technologies quite regularly in their daily lives.  However, there were not many examples of people using technology to support their COPD. Rather people preferred to use technology for things that were outside of their illness. One of the reasons for this was that people were not being offered many options of technologies to support their chronic lung condition. The other reason may also have been people wanting to do activities that were not always about their illness, such as providing connections to their grandchildren and friends. This resulted in the different roles of digital technologies fell within two categories to support: 1)  outcomes and experiences of living with COPD, and 2)  support experiences of living. 

The Role of Digital Technology in Supporting Outcomes and Experiences of COPD

There were multiple roles of digital technology that people spoke about. Some of these were specific to supporting their illness (left side of figure).   Examples included using technologies to monitor their oxygen levels. People most often spoke about how they did online searches to learn about this illness, and how they used this information to advocate for themselves during healthcare visits.  Although many people spoke about the importance of their peer group, most people had lost these connections at the onset of the pandemic.  These peer supports were important for people to socialize and exchange information about successful strategies for managing their illness. 

The Role of Digital Technology to Support Experiences of Living

Most often people spoke about how they used digital technologies for activities that was not related to their illness. There were the important intergenerational connections they had with their grandchildren, where they played card games together or shared stories. Streaming music and videos allowed people time to be away from thinking about their illness and reminisce about past events.  At the onset of the pandemic people spoke about the importance of having online family reunions. 

Conceptualizing New Roles of Digital Technology for COPD

The types of activities that people spoke about offer new insights into how digital technologies may support people living with a chronic lung condition.  Digital technologies can be a place to carry on traditions with family members, and to leave a legacy by sharing stories and photos of ancestors.  Streaming services and You-tube videos can offer a place for spontaneity and distraction. The auto-play feature of these services allowed people to be swept into new unexpected places. 

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