Current Patterns of Use and Acceptability of Consumer Wearable Activity Trackers in Emergency Department Patients Direct Original Research
Main Article Content
Keywords
device, exercise, emergency care
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are leading causes of increased healthcare utilization, preventable illness, and premature death. Future emergency department (ED) based strategies may include the use of consumer wearable activity trackers (WATs). Our objective was to characterize patterns of use and acceptability of WATs in ED patients and examine differences based on demographic and socioeconomic factors.
Methods: This was a survey-based study addressing: 1) current or prior use of WATs, and 2) future interest in WAT use and willingness to share associated data with researchers. Any adult patient presenting to the ED was included, with enrollment at two large, urban academic medical centers.
Results: A total of 169 participants were included, with 27% reporting current WAT use. WAT users were significantly younger (p<0.01) with higher rates of employment (p=0.01), income (p=0.03), and education (p=0.02) compared to non-WAT users. WAT users were less likely to report comorbidities including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus (all p<0.01). Cost was the most prohibitive barrier among non-WAT users. Importantly, >90% were open to wearing WATs and sharing activity data with researchers.
Conclusions: Results indicate that although current WAT use is limited, most ED patients express interest in future use and willingness to share activity data with researchers.
References
2. Alberti K.G., et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: a joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation. 2009;120(16):1640-5.
3. Lavie C.J., et al. Sedentary Behavior, Exercise, and Cardiovascular Health. Circ Res. 2019;124(5):799-815.
4. Roberts CK, Hevener AL, Barnard RJ. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: underlying causes and modification by exercise training. Compr Physiol. 2013;3(1):1-58.
5. Stefani L, Galanti G. Physical exercise prescription in metabolic chronic disease. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;1005:123-141.
6. Burgess E, Hassmen P, Pumpa KL. Determinants of adherence to lifestyle intervention in adults with obesity: a systematic review. Clin Obes. 2017;7(3):123-135.
7. Petrides J, Collins P, Kowalski A, Sepede J, et al. Lifestyle Changes for Disease Prevention. Prim Care. 2019;46(1):1-12.
8. Sallis R, Franklin B, Joy L, Ross R, et al. Strategies for promoting physical activity in clinical practice. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2015;57(4):375-86.
9. Montesi L, Moscatiello S, Malavolti M, Marzocchi R, et al. Physical activity for the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders. Intern Emerg Med. 2013;8(8):655-66.
10. Boudreaux ED, Bock B, O’Hea E. When an event sparks behavior change: an introduction to the sentinel event method of dynamic model building and its application to emergency medicine. Acad Emerg Med. 2012;19(3):329-35.
11. Bourdreaux ED, Cydulka R, Bock B, Borrelli B, et al. Conceptual models of health behavior: research in emergency care settings. Acad Emerg Med. 2009;16:1120-3.
12. Tang N, Stein J, Hsia R, Maselli JH, et al. Trends and characteristics of US emergency department visits, 1997-2007. JAMA. 2010;304(6):664-70.
13. Cheatham, S.W., et al. The efficacy of wearable activity tracking technology as part of a weight loss program: a systematic review. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018;58(4): p. 534-548.
14. Franssen, W.M.A., et al. Can consumer wearable activity tracker-based interventions improve physical activity and cardiometabolic health in patients with chronic diseases? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020;17(1): p. 57.
15. Cairns C, Kang K. National hospital ambulatory medical care survey: 2021 emergency department summary tables. Available from: https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/ Dataset_Documentation/NHAMCS/doc21-ed-508. Pdf.
16. Allen LN, Christie GP. The emergence of personalized health technology. J Med Internet Res. 2016;18(5):e99.
17. Cho PJ, Yi J, Ho E, Shandhi M, et al. Demographic imbalances resulting from the bring-your-own-device study design. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2022;10(4):e29510.
18. Dhingra LS, Aminorroaya A, Oikonomou EK, et al. Use of wearable devices in individuals with or at risk for cardiovascular disease in the US, 2019 to 2020. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(6):e2316634.
19. Parks SE, Housemann RA, Brownson RC. Differential correlates of physical activity in urban and rural adults of various socioeconomic backgrounds in the United States. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003;57(1):29-35.
20. Mitka M. Lifestyle changes key to cut stroke risk: guidelines place emergency physicians on front line. JAMA. 2011;305(6):551-2.
21. Goldstein LB, Bushnell CD, Adams RJ, Appel LJ, et al. Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke: a guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2011;42(2):517-84
22. McKay MP, Vaca FE, Field C, Rhodes K. Public Health in the Emergency Department: Overcoming Barriers to Implementation and Dissemination. Acad Emerg Med. 2009;16(11):1132-1137.
23. Adams EJ, Morris L, Marshall G, Coffey F, et al. Effectiveness and implementation of interventions for health promotion in urgent and emergency care settings: an umbrella review. BMC Emerg Med. 2023;23(1):41.
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright, 2024 by the authors. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.