scholarly journals Motion Sensor-Based Detection of Outlier Days Supporting Continuous Health Assessment for Single Older Adults

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6080
Author(s):  
Marc Mertens ◽  
Glen Debard ◽  
Jesse Davis ◽  
Els Devriendt ◽  
Koen Milisen ◽  
...  

The aging population has resulted in interest in remote monitoring of elderly individuals’ health and well being. This paper describes a simple unsupervised monitoring system that can automatically detect if an elderly individual’s pattern of presence deviates substantially from the recent past. The proposed system uses a small set of low-cost motion sensors and analyzes the produced data to establish an individual’s typical presence pattern. Then, the algorithm uses a distance function to determine whether the individual’s observed presence for each day significantly deviates from their typical pattern. Empirically, the algorithm is validated on both synthetic data and data collected by installing our system in the residences of three older individuals. In the real-world setting, the system detected, respectively, five, four, and one deviating days in the three locations. The deviating days detected by the system could result from a health issue that requires attention. The information from the system can aid caregivers in assessing the subject’s health status and allows for a targeted intervention. Although the system can be refined, we show that otherwise hidden but relevant events (e.g., fall incident and irregular sleep patterns) are detected and reported to the caregiver.

Introduction 140 Health inequalities 142 Principles of health promotion 144 Promoting public health 146 Promoting physical well-being of individuals 148 Physical health assessment of people with intellectual disability 150 Blood pressure, temperature, pulse 152 Respiration and oxygen saturation levels 154 Epilepsy 156 Supporting people with epilepsy ...


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Agarwal ◽  
S Verma ◽  
N Verma ◽  
K Kothiwal

Abstract Issue There is a need for adaptable/scalable methods to understand environmental determinants of health and well-being in slums of LMIC cities. Catalysing grassroots actions to reduce health inequalities is needed with strong community leadership in slums. Methods Conducted in 2016-2017 in Indore (3 m population), India this practice undertakes qualitative health assessments using simple, actionable indicators with community knowledge and prioritizes solutions. Participatory neighbourhood level assessment of sewerage, toilets, garbage disposal and water supply by slum women was done using three colour scale: red for poor condition, yellow for moderate condition and green for good condition across 24 slums. Since slum women live these challenges daily, they can assess conditions. A qualitative adaptation of WHO's Urban HEART, this practice seeks to learn how slum women assess conditions, implement actions for improvement of slum environment. Results Context responsive actions included submitting community petitions and reminders to Municipal authorities by slum women to repair sewerage lines, construct toilets, increase regularity of garbage collection and improve public water supply in slums. Of 24 slums assessed in 2016, 6 were designated as “red”, 14 as “yellow” and 4 as “green” on condition of toilets and sewerage. On garbage disposal and water supply, 8 slums were designated as “red”, 10 as “yellow” and 6 as “green”. With coordination with Municipal authorities in 2017, slums on “red” reduced to 3 in each group, those assessed as “green” increased to 10 with improved conditions. Lessons This approach helps slum communities to assess problems and implement solutions. The methodology is simple, low-cost, easily understood by less educated, academics, policy makers and uses community wisdom. It is adaptable for NGOs, relevant policies/guidelines in LMIC cities. This collective community health assessment directly catalyses demand side action. Key messages Collective efficacy is a group’s shared belief in its ability to utilize information, pursue actions to overcome obstacles accomplishing a valued goal. This method is key to replicate this practice. People’s efforts to bring public services to the slums through collective action can reduce urban health inequality.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni C. Antonucci ◽  
James A. Ashton-Miller ◽  
Jennifer Brant ◽  
Emily B. Falk ◽  
Jeffrey B. Halter ◽  
...  

This paper addresses the health problems and opportunities that society will face in 2030. We propose a proactive model to combat the trend towards declining levels of physical activity and increasing obesity. The model emphasizes the need to increase physical activity among individuals of all ages. We focus on the right to move and the benefits of physical activity. The paper introduces a seven-level model that includes cells, creature (individual), clan (family), community, corporation, country, and culture. At each level the model delineates how increased or decreased physical activity influences health and well-being across the life span. It emphasizes the importance of combining multiple disciplines and corporate partners to produce a multifaceted cost-effective program that increases physical activity at all levels. The goal of this paper is to recognize exercise as a powerful, low-cost solution with positive benefits to cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Further, the model proposes that people of all ages should incorporate the “right to move” into their life style, thereby maximizing the potential to maintain health and well-being in a cost-effective, optimally influential manner.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-187
Author(s):  
Shelagh Marshall OBE ◽  
Janet Crampton

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to: first, report on a pilot; second, provide a further opportunity for a wider audience to be aware of the work carried out by the Age Action Alliance, Isolation and Loneliness Working Group to identify vulnerable people in the community. Third, to highlight the successful aspects of the project which could be used by other organisations seeking to reduce the effects of isolation and loneliness in the community. Links to the full report and the more detailed findings can be found at: www.ageactionalliance Design/methodology/approach – The main proposal was to test the most effective approach to identifying those at risk of loneliness, using pharmacists in two well-known “high street” pharmacies, through the use of a simple questionnaire that could be handed out to a target 100 customers at each pharmacy or health care team over a six-week period. Findings – A simple questionnaire proves to be successful and gets a good rate of return. The right partners are essential to bring effective results. Referrals were handled very professionally and people were helped to connect socially. Research limitations/implications – The sample was small but the authors achieved a relatively high rate of returns and, in consequence, a number of people were directly helped access the support, information and advice to enable them to feel less lonely. Practical implications – The planning and preparation for this project proved that all needed to be actively and continuously involved in the planning from the beginning. Furthermore in this project involving local pharmacies, the manager or lead pharmacist at a store need to lead and actively engage their staff in the aims and objectives of the project. Social implications – This project aimed to identify people at risk of loneliness and the potential adverse effect on their health and well-being. Anyone helped to avoid social isolation and loneliness is a success, and sometimes with relatively low cost but high-impact intervention. Originality/value – This project was conceived amongst partners and reflected the particular involvement of a “household name” pharmacy and recognition of its key role in identifying and accessing people who may be at risk of loneliness.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Geipel ◽  
Leigh H. Grant ◽  
Boaz Keysar

AbstractVaccine hesitancy is a major global challenge facing COVID-19 immunization programs. Its main source is low public trust in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. In a preregistered experimental study, we investigated how using a foreign language when communicating COVID-19 vaccine information influences vaccine acceptance. Hong Kong Chinese residents (N = 611) received COVID-19 vaccine information either in their native Chinese or in English. English increased trust in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and, as a result, reduced vaccine hesitancy. This indicates that language can impact vaccine attitudes and demonstrate the potential of language interventions for a low cost, actionable strategy to curtail vaccine hesitancy amongst bilingual populations. Language interventions could contribute towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of health and well-being.


10.2196/17572 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. e17572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Szinay ◽  
Andy Jones ◽  
Tim Chadborn ◽  
Jamie Brown ◽  
Felix Naughton

Background The public health impact of health and well-being digital interventions is dependent upon sufficient real-world uptake and engagement. Uptake is currently largely dependent on popularity indicators (eg, ranking and user ratings on app stores), which may not correspond with effectiveness, and rapid disengagement is common. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify factors that influence uptake and engagement with health and well-being apps to inform new approaches that promote the effective use of such tools. Objective This review aimed to understand what is known about influences on the uptake of and engagement with health and well-being smartphone apps among adults. Methods We conducted a systematic review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies. Studies conducted on adults were included if they focused on health and well-being smartphone apps reporting on uptake and engagement behavior. Studies identified through a systematic search in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, or MEDLARS Online (MEDLINE), EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsychINFO, Scopus, Cochrane library databases, DataBase systems and Logic Programming (DBLP), and Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Digital library were screened, with a proportion screened independently by 2 authors. Data synthesis and interpretation were undertaken using a deductive iterative process. External validity checking was undertaken by an independent researcher. A narrative synthesis of the findings was structured around the components of the capability, opportunity, motivation, behavior change model and the theoretical domains framework (TDF). Results Of the 7640 identified studies, 41 were included in the review. Factors related to uptake (U), engagement (E), or both (B) were identified. Under capability, the main factors identified were app literacy skills (B), app awareness (U), available user guidance (B), health information (E), statistical information on progress (E), well-designed reminders (E), features to reduce cognitive load (E), and self-monitoring features (E). Availability at low cost (U), positive tone, and personalization (E) were identified as physical opportunity factors, whereas recommendations for health and well-being apps (U), embedded health professional support (E), and social networking (E) possibilities were social opportunity factors. Finally, the motivation factors included positive feedback (E), available rewards (E), goal setting (E), and the perceived utility of the app (E). Conclusions Across a wide range of populations and behaviors, 26 factors relating to capability, opportunity, and motivation appear to influence the uptake of and engagement with health and well-being smartphone apps. Our recommendations may help app developers, health app portal developers, and policy makers in the optimization of health and well-being apps.


Author(s):  
Márcio Renê Brandão Soussa ◽  
Valter de Senna ◽  
Valéria Loureiro da Silva ◽  
Charles Lima Soares

AbstractThis paper proposes and describes an unsupervised computational model that monitors an elderly person who lives alone and issues alarms when a risk to the elderly person’s well-being is identified. This model is based on data extracted exclusively from passive infrared motion sensors connected to a ZigBee wireless network. The proposed monitoring system and model is non-intrusive, does not capture any images, and does not require any interaction with the monitored person. Thus, it is more likely to be adopted by members of the elderly population who might reject other more intrusive or complex types of technology. The developed computational model for activity discovery employs a kernel estimator and local outlier factor calculation, which are reliable and have a low computational cost. This model was tested with data collected over a period of 25 days from two elderly volunteers who live alone and have fairly different routines. The results demonstrate the model’s ability to learn relevant behaviors, as well as identify and issue alarms for atypical activities that can be suggestive of health problems. This low-cost, minimalistic sensor network approach is especially suited to the reality of underdeveloped (and developing) countries where assisted living communities are not available and low cost and ease of use are paramount.


Author(s):  
Nikhil Yuvraj Ahirrao

Kangaroo mother care is low cost method of care for low birth weight baby or premature infants in areas with inadequate warmer or NICU care. Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of under-five child deaths worldwide and in india also. Kangaroo mother care is powerful and easy to use method to promote health and well-being and reduce morbidity and mortality in preterm/ low birth weight babies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e053189
Author(s):  
Keir EJ Philip ◽  
Lucy L Cartwright ◽  
Debra Westlake ◽  
Grace Nyakoojo ◽  
Ivan Kimuli ◽  
...  

IntroductionMusic and dance are increasingly used as adjunctive arts-in-health interventions in high-income settings, with a growing body of research suggesting biopsychosocial benefits. Such low-cost, low-resource interventions may have application in low-resource settings such as Uganda. However, research on perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals regarding such approaches is lacking.MethodsWe delivered sample sessions of music and dance for chronic respiratory disease (CRD) to patients and healthcare professionals. Seven participants took part in one singing and dance sample session. One patient completed only the dance session. We then conducted an exploratory qualitative study using thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with healthcare professionals and patients regarding (1) the role of music and dance in Ugandan life and (2) the perceived acceptability and feasibility of using music and dance in CRD management in Uganda.ResultsWe interviewed 19 participants, made up of 11 patients with long-term respiratory conditions and 8 healthcare professionals, who were selected by purposeful convenience sampling. Four key themes were identified from interview analysis: music and dance (1) were central components of daily life; (2) had an established role supporting health and well-being; and (3) had strong therapeutic potential in respiratory disease management. The fourth theme was (4) the importance of modulating demographic considerations of culture, religion and age.ConclusionMusic and dance are central to life in Uganda, with established roles supporting health and well-being. These roles could be built on in the development of music and dance interventions as adjuncts to established components of CRD disease management like pulmonary rehabilitation. Through consideration of key contextual factors and codevelopment and adaptation of interventions, such approaches are likely to be well received.


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