Wearable sensor study
Participants wore a GENEActiv device - a lightweight accelerometer similar to an Apple Watch or Fitbit - for 7 days at baseline and 7 days at 6-month or 12-month follow-up. The sensor records data on limb and body movements which is extracted and analysed to give important metrics such as the number of steps taken daily, time spent in different levels of physical activity and sleep duration. This allows changes in activity levels and sleep to be objectively compared between baseline and follow-up, providing information on the impact of the ‘Live Well with Parkinson’s’ toolkit on movement symptoms and sleep in people with Parkinson’s.
This study was designed with input from people with Parkinson’s, as it has been suggested that digital technology has the potential to identify subtle changes which may not be detected using standard clinically administered scales, such as the MDS-UPDRS Part II and the PDQ-39. Continuous remote collection of data with the GENEActiv device may provide a more accurate reflection of participants’ functioning in activities of daily life. The data generated by the sensor will be compared to the scores on clinical assessments to see how well they correlate and to determine the reliability of both measures. Additionally, the combination of information provided by the sensor, clinical assessments and self-reports will allow us to understand the potential mediating effects of the intervention on improving health-related quality of life and helping people with Parkinson’s to self-manage their condition.