Unpacking Personal(?!) Health Informatics: An Investigation of Awareness, Understanding, And Leveraged Utility in India

Personal Health Informatics (PHI), which leverages digital tools and information systems to support health assessment and self-care, holds promise for empowering individuals and transforming healthcare delivery. However, barriers to its adoption remain underexplored in the Indian context. This study investigates PHI adoption among Indian users and stakeholders using a multi-method approach. An awareness survey (n = 87) examined the usage of wearables and general PHI engagement, followed by semi-structured interviews (n = 22) that explored motivations, usage patterns, and health information sources. Qualitative analysis revealed that while PHI is valued for health monitoring and shared/collective care, its adoption is hindered by factors such as low health literacy, usability challenges, and mistrust in digital health platforms. Further stakeholder interviews and co-design workshops informed the development of a Figma-based prototype, which was evaluated for usability. Based on these findings, we offer design recommendations for an integrated, user-controlled PHI platform featuring accessible analytics and verifiable health information. Our insights highlight the socio-technical challenges of PHI adoption in India and underscore the need for reliable, user-centric solutions to support proactive healthcare.