Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study

Abstract BackgroundParkinson disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with complex motor and nonmotor symptoms. To assess these, clinical assessments are completed, providing a snapshot of a person’s experience. Monitoring Parkinson disease using wearable devices ca...

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Main Authors: Tasmin Alanna Rookes, Amit Batla, Megan Armstrong, Gareth Ambler, Kate Walters, Anette Schrag
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-03-01
Series:JMIR Formative Research
Online Access:https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e63704
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author Tasmin Alanna Rookes
Amit Batla
Megan Armstrong
Gareth Ambler
Kate Walters
Anette Schrag
author_facet Tasmin Alanna Rookes
Amit Batla
Megan Armstrong
Gareth Ambler
Kate Walters
Anette Schrag
author_sort Tasmin Alanna Rookes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract BackgroundParkinson disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with complex motor and nonmotor symptoms. To assess these, clinical assessments are completed, providing a snapshot of a person’s experience. Monitoring Parkinson disease using wearable devices can provide continuous and objective data and capture information on movement patterns in daily life. ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to assess patient acceptability and technical reliability of 2 wearable devices used in clinical trials (ActivInsights and Axivity AX3). MethodsParticipants in a feasibility study testing a self-management toolkit (PD-Care) optionally wore a wearable device for 1 week, providing feedback through an open- and closed-question survey conducted over the telephone about the acceptability of wearing the device. The closed questions used a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (with 1=strongly agree and 5=strongly disagree) asking whether (1) the device was comfortable to wear, (2) the device was easy to put on, (3) the device was easy to wear, (4) the device was embarrassing to wear, and (5) if they were happy to wear the device for longer than 7 days. Differences in acceptability between devices were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U ResultsA total of 22 of 32 (69%) participants offered the device agreed to wear it. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics between those monitored and those who chose not to be. Acceptance with both devices was generally good. The ActivInsights device was more acceptable than the wrist- and trunk-worn Axivity AX3 devices, as more participants found it to be comfortable (n=15, 100% vs n=5, 71%; PPPPPPP ConclusionsAcceptability of wearables for monitoring Parkinson was satisfactory, especially when wrist-worn, although a few participants experienced difficulties in correct use, and there were some errors with the data upload.
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spelling doaj-art-7524fbfa45cd451283613aadc77210a82025-08-20T03:09:45ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2025-03-019e63704e6370410.2196/63704Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey StudyTasmin Alanna Rookeshttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-6330-7059Amit Batlahttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-8952-2160Megan Armstronghttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-6773-9393Gareth Amblerhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-5322-7327Kate Waltershttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2173-2430Anette Schraghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9872-6680 Abstract BackgroundParkinson disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with complex motor and nonmotor symptoms. To assess these, clinical assessments are completed, providing a snapshot of a person’s experience. Monitoring Parkinson disease using wearable devices can provide continuous and objective data and capture information on movement patterns in daily life. ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to assess patient acceptability and technical reliability of 2 wearable devices used in clinical trials (ActivInsights and Axivity AX3). MethodsParticipants in a feasibility study testing a self-management toolkit (PD-Care) optionally wore a wearable device for 1 week, providing feedback through an open- and closed-question survey conducted over the telephone about the acceptability of wearing the device. The closed questions used a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (with 1=strongly agree and 5=strongly disagree) asking whether (1) the device was comfortable to wear, (2) the device was easy to put on, (3) the device was easy to wear, (4) the device was embarrassing to wear, and (5) if they were happy to wear the device for longer than 7 days. Differences in acceptability between devices were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U ResultsA total of 22 of 32 (69%) participants offered the device agreed to wear it. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics between those monitored and those who chose not to be. Acceptance with both devices was generally good. The ActivInsights device was more acceptable than the wrist- and trunk-worn Axivity AX3 devices, as more participants found it to be comfortable (n=15, 100% vs n=5, 71%; PPPPPPP ConclusionsAcceptability of wearables for monitoring Parkinson was satisfactory, especially when wrist-worn, although a few participants experienced difficulties in correct use, and there were some errors with the data upload.https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e63704
spellingShingle Tasmin Alanna Rookes
Amit Batla
Megan Armstrong
Gareth Ambler
Kate Walters
Anette Schrag
Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
JMIR Formative Research
title Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
title_full Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
title_fullStr Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
title_full_unstemmed Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
title_short Patient Acceptability and Technical Reliability of Wearable Devices Used for Monitoring People With Parkinson Disease: Survey Study
title_sort patient acceptability and technical reliability of wearable devices used for monitoring people with parkinson disease survey study
url https://formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e63704
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