MOBIlity assessment with modern TEChnology in older patients' real-life by the General Practitioner: The MOBITEC-GP study protocol (2019)

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Type of Content
Journal ArticlePublisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLCISSN
1471-2458Language
engCollections
- Science: Journal Articles [1099]
Authors
Abstract
Background: Mobility limitations in older adults are associated with poor clinical outcomes including higher mortality and disability rates. A decline in mobility (including physical function and life-space) is detectable and should be discovered as early as possible, as it can still be stabilized or even reversed in early stages by targeted interventions. General practitioners (GPs) would be in the ideal position to monitor the mobility of their older patients. However, easy-to-use and valid instruments for GPs to conduct mobility assessment in the real-life practice setting are missing. Modern technologies such as the global positioning system (GPS) and inertial measurement units (IMUs) - nowadays embedded in every smartphone - could facilitate monitoring of different aspects of mobility in the GP's practice. Methods: This project's aim is to provide GPs with a novel smartphone application that allows them to quantify their older patients' mobility. The project consists of three parts: development of the GPS- and IMU-based application, evaluation of its validity and reliability (Study 1), and evaluation of its applicability and acceptance (Study 2). In Study 1, participants (target N = 72, aged 65+, ≥2 chronic diseases) will perform a battery of walking tests (varying distances; varying levels of standardization). Besides videotaping and timing (gold standard), a high-end GPS device, a medium-accuracy GPS/IMU logger and three different smartphone models will be used to determine mobility parameters such as gait speed. Furthermore, participants will wear the medium-accuracy GPS/IMU logger and a smartphone for a week to determine their life-space mobility. Participants will be re-assessed after 1 week. In Study 2, participants (target N = 60, aged 65+, ≥2 chronic diseases) will be instructed on how to use the application by themselves. Participants will perform mobility assessments independently at their own homes. Aggregated test results will also be presented to GPs. Acceptance of the application will be assessed among patients and GPs. The application will then be finalized and publicly released. Discussion: If successful, the MOBITEC-GP application will offer health care providers the opportunity to follow their patients' mobility over time and to recognize impending needs (e.g. for targeted exercise) within pre-clinical stages of decline.
Citation
Münch M, Weibel R, Sofios A, Huang H, Infanger D, Portegijs E, Giannouli E, Mundwiler J, Conrow L, Rantanen T, Schmidt-Trucksäss A, Zeller A, Hinrichs T (2019). MOBIlity assessment with modern TEChnology in older patients' real-life by the General Practitioner: The MOBITEC-GP study protocol. BMC Public Health. 19(1). 1703-.This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
Keywords
Humans; Monitoring, Ambulatory; Geriatric Assessment; Reproducibility of Results; Research Design; Technology; Geographic Information Systems; Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Female; Male; Mobility Limitation; General Practitioners; Mobile Applications; Smartphone; Multimorbidity; Aging; General practice; Walking speed; Inertial sensors; Health promotion; Spatial behaviorANZSRC Fields of Research
42 - Health sciences::4206 - Public health::420605 - Preventative health care42 - Health sciences::4203 - Health services and systems::420301 - Aged health care
42 - Health sciences::4203 - Health services and systems::420308 - Health informatics and information systems
40 - Engineering::4013 - Geomatic engineering::401302 - Geospatial information systems and geospatial data modelling
42 - Health sciences::4206 - Public health::420603 - Health promotion
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