Objective: To explore the acceptability of wearable devices to remotely measure mobility in the Mobilise-D technical validation study (TVS).

Background: When deploying tools to monitor health conditions, clinicians and researchers need to be confident that selected devices will be worn and are acceptable to participants in order to enhance data collection.

Method: The protocol was undertaken in >100 people in the Mobilise-D TVS, however the focus of this abstract is on the experiences of those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Participants (n=20) wore a waist-worn device (McRoberts Dynaport MM+) for up to nine days across sites in Germany, the U.K. and Israel. Acceptability was measured using two questionnaires: The Comfort Rating Scale (CRS – six questions on a 21-point Likert scale) and a previously validated questionnaire developed by Rabinovich et al, (2013 – 12 questions on a 5-point Likert scale). A subset (n=5) also completed semi-structured interviews to explore their opinions of the use of digital tools to monitor their health

Results: The device was considered comfortable (mean CRS (sd; min-max) = 2.3 (4.9; 0-20) out of 21, where a lower score signifies higher comfort) and acceptable (4.3 (0.3; 3.3-4.9) out of 5 where a higher score indicates higher acceptability). Interviews supported this as the device was easy to use and did not interfere with daily activities. Social occasions may impact adherence, for example whether the device can be seen under clothes in summer or at formal social events. However, given the context of the Covid-19 pandemic this was not a concern that participants experienced directly. Participants acknowledged that PD impacted their lives considerably and were open to the idea of using technology to monitor their health, especially if it meant treatments may occur earlier than they would otherwise. However, they were unsure how this may benefit them directly. They understood the concept of monitoring activity for motivational purposes but beyond that, potential uses for the data appeared somewhat abstract.

Conclusion: Waist-worn devices are acceptable to people with PD to remotely monitor mobility.  Participants are willing to wear devices in studies and for health purposes although greater clarity is required as to how they may derive information from them that are meaningful to participants.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-acceptability-of-wearable-devices-to-measure-mobility-in-people-with-parkinsons-disease-observations-from-mobilise-d/