Abstract
People with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are commonly prescribed offloading walkers, but inadequate adherence to prescribed use can be a barrier to ulcer healing. This study examined user perspectives of offloading walkers to provide insight on ways to help promote adherence. Participants were randomized to wear: (1) irremovable, (2) removable, or (3) smart removable walkers (smart boot) that provided feedback on adherence and daily walking. Participants completed a 15-item questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Spearman correlations assessed associations between TAM ratings with participant characteristics. Chi-squared tests compared TAM ratings between ethnicities, as well as 12-month retrospective fall status. A total of 21 adults with DFU (age 61.5 ± 11.8 years) participated. Smart boot users reported that learning how to use the boot was easy (ρ =−0.82, p (Formula presented.) 0.001). Regardless of group, people who identified as Hispanic or Latino, compared to those who did not, reported they liked using the smart boot (p = 0.05) and would use it in the future (p = 0.04). Non-fallers, compared to fallers, reported the design of the smart boot made them want to wear it longer (p = 0.04) and it was easy to take on and off (p = 0.04). Our findings can help inform considerations for patient education and design of offloading walkers for DFUs.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2768 |
| Journal | Sensors |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- adherence
- diabetic foot
- digital health
- foot care
- foot ulcer
- remote patient monitoring
- smart offloading
- telehealth
- wearable
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Analytical Chemistry
- Information Systems
- Instrumentation
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Biochemistry