Wearable technology in the management of complex chronic illness: preliminary survey results on self-reported outcomes
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Complex chronic illnesses like Long Covid (LC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) are marked by fluctuating symptoms, often exacerbated by physical, cognitive, or emotional exertion in a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). Home monitoring technologies offer potential benefits by enabling individuals to track symptoms and biometrics, aiding in disease self-management. However, the general effectiveness of such tools is still unknown. Methods: A random sample of users of the Visible mobile application (Visible Plus; requires both the armband and paid subscription), aged 18 or older and with self-identified complex chronic illnesses such as LC or ME/CFS, were invited to complete an online survey regarding the impact of the app on their chronic disease self-management. Descriptive statistics related to the responses were analyzed and reported. Results: = 2,636 randomly selected subscribers, the mostly commonly listed "other illnesses" were Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS, 6%), fibromyalgia (5.2%), Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS; 1.7%) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS, 1.2%). Of those with at least 30 days of data, 77% reported seeing an improvements associated with app use, corresponding to 23% of all invited users, 85% (corresponding to 29% of all invited users) reported feeling somewhat (53%) or significantly (32%), and 94% (corresponding to 33% of all invited users) reported a better understanding of their energy budget. Discussion: Home-monitoring based mobile applications are feasible and acceptable for a motivated subgroup of people with energy-limiting complex chronic illnesses, and are associated with self-reported benefits in energy management and participation in daily activities. The findings of this study should be interpreted as descriptive and hypothesis-generating and do not represent clinically significant effects, underscoring the need for randomized controlled trials to formally evaluate efficacy. Future studies should incorporate a comparison group to better differentiate intervention effects from improvements gained through lived experience.
Source: Frontiers in Digital Health
Authors: Abbey Sawyer, Rory Preston, Harry Leeming, Luke Martin-Fuller, Amy Proal, David Putrino
Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,077
OpenAlex ID: W4414968623