Patient Perspectives on Quantified Self Technologies and Healthcare Costs Among Patients with Diabetes in Zimbabwe.

The growing use of quantified self-technologies (QST) in chronic disease management is linked to better self-monitoring and patient engagement. However, little is known about how patients in resource-constrained settings fund and sustain the use of QST in diabetes self-management. This study asked: "How do patients with diabetes perceive and experience the economic burden of using QST in Zimbabwe?" Using a qualitative design, 20 patients with diabetes participated in semi-structured interviews. The reflexive thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke generated three interrelated themes: technology investment costs, conventional healthcare costs, and socio-economic constraints. The findings show that the economic experience of QST adoption is context-dependent and is shaped by the financial realities of patients with diabetes and their access to technology. By focusing on patient-level cost experiences, the study adds qualitative evidence to public health debates on digital health affordability and highlights the need to assess perceived financial implications within a third-world socio-economic context. It is concluded that, although QST is available in third-world countries, sustained use depends on the financial capacity of patients with diabetes.