| This literature review examines research in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) focusing on technology used in chronic illness situations. Themes explored are: (1) where self-care takes place once an individual with a chronic illness leaves a clinical setting; and (2) how technology is used outside the clinical environment; and (3) how people make sense of, reflect upon, and manage self-monitoring information. Research on technology and chronic illness is in a nascent state and is currently focused on how technology may aid people in recording and making sense of self-monitored information outside the clinical environment in order to manage a chronic illness or change behavior. However, self-monitored information brings with it a host of concerns for individuals such as how to make sense of that information, how to collaborate with others, how to protect privacy, and potential information overload. A gap is exposed through the literature review for technology that can continuously monitor an individual's health and perform prediction and alerting of that behavior so that individuals who are managing a chronic illness, and attempting to change behavior, may easily be notified when something has gone wrong in the present moment. Finally, where self-care takes place is an important research landscape in this review, as the home becomes a care environment for those diagnosed with a chronic illness once they leave a clinical setting. Given this, the need for technology and collaborations between clinicians and individuals to envision how their home care environment may best fit their chronic illness needs is explored. |
