BACKGROUND
Research integrating multisensory home-monitoring in respiratory disease is scarce. Therefore, we created a novel multisensory home-monitoring device tailored for long-term respiratory disease management (named the CAir-Desk). We hypothesize that recent technological accomplishments can be integrated into a multisensory participant-driven platform. We also believe that this platform could improve chronic disease management, and be accessible to large groups at an acceptable cost.
OBJECTIVE
To report on user-adherence and acceptance, as well as system functionality of the CAir-Desk in a sample of participants with stable COPD or Asthma.
METHODS
We conducted an observational usability study. Participants participated in 4 weeks of home-monitoring with the CAir-Desk. The CAir-Desk recorded data from all participants on symptom burden, physical activity, spirometry, and environmental air-quality; data on sputum production, and nocturnal cough was only recorded in participants experiencing the symptoms. After the study period, participants reported on their perceptions of the monitoring device usability through a purpose-designed questionnaire. We used descriptive statistics and visualizations to display results.
RESULTS
Ten participants, 5 with COPD and 5 with Asthma took part in this study. They completed symptom burden questionnaires on 96 (14, 96)%, spirometry recordings on 55 (20, 94)%, wrist-worn physical activity recordings on 100 (97, 100)%, arm-worn physical activity recordings on 45 (13, 63)%, nocturnal cough recordings on 34 (9, 54)%, sputum recordings on 5 (3, 12)%, and environmental air-quality recordings on 100 (99, 100)% of the study days. The participants indicated that the measurements consumed 13 (10, 15) min daily, and that they preferred the wrist-worn over the arm-worn physical activity monitor.
CONCLUSIONS
The CAir-Desk showed good technical performance and was well-accepted by our sample of stable COPD and Asthma participants. The obtained insights were used in a redesign of the CAir-Desk, which is currently applied in a RCT including an interventional program.
CLINICALTRIAL