New research highlights challenges in evaluating digital health tools for major diseases
As smartphones, apps, and wearable devices become more integrated into healthcare, new research from the University of Surrey is questioning how effective these digital tools are for managing serious conditions like cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.
In a paper published by PLOS Digital Health, researchers challenge whether the calls to digitise the healthcare system are ignoring barriers, such as the tech savviness of patients or caregivers.
The study, which was a literature review of 140 studies on the use of digital health technologies found that many studies struggled with recruiting a diverse range of participants, often attracting individuals who are already tech-savvy and motivated about their health, making it difficult to know if the technology would work for everyone. Furthermore, the review highlighted issues with how the effectiveness of these tools is measured, with some studies relying on less reliable self-reporting by patients.
A key challenge identified by the review is how quickly technology is advancing. Lengthy evaluation periods mean that by the time a study is complete, the technology being tested may already be outdated. Additionally, due to the wide availability of digital tools, control group participants may access similar technologies to the ones they are testing, potentially affecting study outcomes.
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