Healthc Inform Res.  2018 Oct;24(4):276-282. 10.4258/hir.2018.24.4.276.

Effective Validation Model and Use of Mobile-Health Applications for the Elderly

• Ramirez Lopez LJ
• Guillen Pinto EP
• Ramos Linares CO

• KMID: 2434542
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2018.24.4.276

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Due to the uncontrolled increase of the mobile health applications and their scarce use by elderly for reason of absence credibility of measurements by lack scientific support, the aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between the biophysical measurements based on standard instrument against a mobile application using controlled experiments with elderly to propose an effective validation model of the developed apps.
METHODS
The subjects of the study (50 people) were elderly people who wanted to check their weight and cardiac status. For this purpose, two mobile applications were used to measure energy expenditure based on physical activity (Activ) and heart rate (SMCa) during controlled walking at specific speeds. Minute-by-minute measurements were recorded to evaluate the average error and the accuracy of the data acquired through confidence intervals by means of statistical analysis of the data.
RESULTS
The experimental results obtained by the Activ/SMCa apps showed a consistent statistical similarity with those obtained by specialized equipment with confidence intervals of 95%. All the subjects were advised and trained on the use of the applications, and the initial registration of data to characterize them served to significantly affect the perceived ease of use.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first model to validate a health-app with elderly people allowed to demonstrate the anthropometric and body movement differences of subjects with equal body mass index (BMI) but younger. Future studies should consider not only BMI data but also other variables, such as age and usability perception factors.

Keyword

Validation Studies; Effectiveness; Elderly; Mobile Applications; Energy Metabolism

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Body Mass Index
Energy Metabolism
Heart Rate
Humans
Mobile Applications
Motor Activity
Telemedicine
Walking

Figure

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  Figure 1 Telehealth center and its key components at Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (UMNG).

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  Figure 2 Box plot comparison between specialized equipment and SMCa app.

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  Figure 3 Comparison over time between specialized equipment and SMCa app.

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  Figure 4 Statistical results of specialized equipment and SMCa app.

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  Figure 5 Box plot comparison between specialized equipment and Activ app.

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  Figure 6 Comparison over time between specialized equipment and Activ app.

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  Figure 7 Statistical results of specialized equipment and Activ app.

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