사물인터넷 기반 모바일 건강관리 애플리케이션의 한국 노인 대상 사용자 참여도에 따른 효과: 준실험 연구의 2차 분석

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the TouchCare system, a digital health management system utilizing the internet of things (IoT), based on the usage levels of older adults. Methods This is a secondary analysis of data from a quasi-experimental study examining the effects of an IoT-based digital healthcare system. Participants were equipped with the TouchCare application, a touch-tag, and context-aware artificial intelligence. Data on cognitive function, frailty, depressive symptoms, nutritional status, and fall efficacy were collected at baseline and after six months of using the system. The participants were divided into a high-engagement group (n = 22) and a low-engagement group (n = 24) based on how many days they used the application during the study. We used descriptive statistics, the paired t-test, the independent-samples t-test, and two-way mixed analysis of variance. Results In total, 46 participants completed the evaluations (mean age, 76.6 years). Two-way mixed analysis of variance revealed no significant group-by-time interaction for cognitive function (p = .184), frailty (p = .338), depressive symptoms (p = .543), and nutritional status (p = .589). There was no significant difference in fall efficacy between the two groups (p = .091). The high-engagement group exhibited significant improvements in visuospatial and executive functions on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p = .029). Conclusion The IoT-based mobile health management application demonstrated benefits in improving cognitive health among older adults. The findings suggest that active engagement with healthcare technology can positively affect health in this population, emphasizing the need for continuous support from nurses as health providers.