Short Communication - Journal of Public Health and Nutrition (2019) Volume 2, Issue 3
Patients use of wearables provide viable pathway for public health care provider.
Sexton Radek KSuburban Pulmonary & Sleep Associates, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Ilinois, USA
- Corresponding Author:
- Sexton Radek K
Suburban Pulmonary & Sleep Associates Elmhurst College, USA
E-mail: ksrsleep@aol.com
Accepted date: September 17, 2019
Abstract
Keywords
Wearable’s, Activity measurement, Telemetric data, Patient care.
Short Communication
Wearable devices to record activity are popular. Self-contained devices provide direct information such as watches, and other devices are linked to an app on the patient’s self-phone or a web site they can access [1]. The range of recordings in wearables has increased over the years with the popularity surge. For example, number of steps, floors climbed as well as laps in a pool all are easily recorded with wearables [1,2].
Style factors and declining prices have also contributed to the popularity. With this rise in popularity, the use of wearables has received the attention of clinicians and researchers. Advantages looking at general use of wearables have been identified in terms of reduced sedentary behaviors, social support, prompts and cues that remind to do a healthy behavior and increases goal setting behaviors [3].
Public health practitioners and researchers have considered a role in patient care and ultimately disease-symptom reduction. Telemetric data about health interventions is favored by patients. A device focuses with a connection to this preferred outlet of seeking health information provides the useful function [3,4]. That is the utility of integrating the efforts of the patient’s use of wearables represents a pathway to connecting to their motivation to work toward healthy behaviors. The Public Health professional has a wide range of device choice that patients may be wearing or willing to wear. Headband cameras, earphones broadcasting a scripted routine, sports clothing that allow for safe and secure carrying of devices, trackers in gloves and laces of a shoe and GPS tracking in socks represent a few of the myriad of contemporary wearables that patients use [5].
Wearable has a diverse range of setups, data collection algorithms, and standards. Improvements in wearables have provided a viable research device for health behavior measurement. In one investigation, a comparison to telephone contact and reporting was reduced as compared to wearable monitor in peripheral artery disease patients [6]. In college students, a comparison of a wearable and Facebook login about health behavior revealed the preference for the wearable in terms of increased adherence [7]. Increased physical activity was measured in recovering stroke patients with wearables as compared to logging into an app on their smartphone [8].
Whether it is the automaticity or immediacy of the wearable, the utility has emerged. And, the popularity has increased with stylistic modifications as well as with declining pricing. However, the wearables utility for the Public Health professional must be explored further. Factors such as the metrics of the devices, the reactivity of the patient wearing the device and the facilitation of a working therapeutic relationship that integrates the wearable technology use and data collected needs to be enumerated. When these factors are given further consideration, the facilitation of healthy behaviors in our patient with the work of Public Health professionals will provide the outcome necessary.
References
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