The current state of wearable device use in Parkinson's disease: a survey of individuals with Parkinson's
2024

Wearable Device Use in Parkinson's Disease: A Survey

Sample size: 298 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Hirczy Siegfried, Zabetian Cyrus, Lin Yi-Han

Primary Institution: Department of Neurology, University of Washington

Hypothesis

What factors impact the use of consumer and medical wearable devices among individuals with Parkinson's disease?

Conclusion

The study found limited use of wearable devices for managing Parkinson's disease, even among motivated users.

Supporting Evidence

  • 91% of respondents were interested in new technologies.
  • 67% had experiences with consumer wearable devices.
  • Only 24% were using consumer devices for disease management.
  • Medical wearable device use was very limited with only 8% having used a device.
  • 76% of wearable users reported a positive impact on personal management of PD.

Takeaway

Many people with Parkinson's disease want to use wearable devices, but not many actually do, even if they have experience with them.

Methodology

An anonymous online survey was conducted from July 9th, 2023, to Jan 8th, 2024, with 298 completed responses collected.

Potential Biases

Respondents were likely highly motivated and technologically inclined, which may not reflect the general population.

Limitations

The study had sampling bias, limited demographic data, and a low response rate.

Participant Demographics

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fdgth.2024.1472691

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