Improving Healthy Aging by Monitoring Patients’ Lifestyle through a Wearable Device: Results of a Feasibility Study

Maria Fioranzato, Rosanna Irene Comoretto, Corrado Lanera, Lamberto Pressato, Giuseppe Palmisano, Luca Barbacane and Dario Gregori
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Maria Fioranzato: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Rosanna Irene Comoretto: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Corrado Lanera: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Lamberto Pressato: Group of Primary Care of Vigonovo, Unità Locale Socio-Sanitaria ULSS 3 Serenissima, 30030 Vigonovo, Italy
Giuseppe Palmisano: Group of Primary Care of Quarto D’Altino, Unità Locale Socio-Sanitaria ULSS 3 Serenissima, 30020 Quarto d’Altino, Italy
Luca Barbacane: Group of Primary Care of Martellago, Unità Locale Socio-Sanitaria ULSS 3 Serenissima, 30030 Martellago, Italy
Dario Gregori: Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-10

Abstract: Population aging is related to a huge growth in healthcare and welfare costs. Therefore, wearable devices could be strategic for minimizing years of disability in old age and monitoring patients’ lifestyles and health. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using smart devices to monitor patients’ physical activity in a primary care setting. To assess the acceptance of this novel technology from the point of view of both patients and healthcare professionals, two questionnaires (one paper-based and one ex-novo developed) were administered to 11 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a non-compliant behavior towards the therapeutic indications of their general practitioner (GP). Seven participants would continue to use a wearable activity tracker to monitor their health. We observed that 75% of patients reported a device’s characteristics satisfaction level of over 80% of the total score assigned to this dimension. No differences were observed in the questionnaire’s scores between the two professionals categories (GPs and nurses). Three dimensions (equipment characteristics, subjective norm, perceived risks, perceived ease-of-use and facilitating conditions) correlated > 0.5 with the device’s acceptability level. Some weak correlations were observed between healthcare professionals’ perception and patients’ parameters, particularly between the dimensions of collaboration and web interface ease-of-use and patients’ median number of steps and hours of sleep. In conclusion, despite the limited number of subjects involved, a good acceptance level towards these non-medical devices was observed, according to both patients’ and healthcare professionals’ impressions.

Keywords: wearable device; feasibility study; lifestyle monitoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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