Lewczak Zoe, Mitchell Maika
Bioethics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Oncology, University of Maryland, Adelphi, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 14;16(11):e73686. doi: 10.7759/cureus.73686. eCollection 2024 Nov.
The management of chronic diseases has been revolutionized by the advent of wearable health technology. These devices provide personalized and real-time health data to patients. The problem that this technology is most frequently used to address is obesity and its consequences, heart disease, and certain cancers. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between being at a healthy weight and having a lower risk of developing these conditions. Yet, many smart health devices in the wearable technology sector are only, and most of the time, within the context of weight management or obesity. The major research question directing this exploration is as follows: How can the use of wearable technologies be effective in improving the management and quality of life of people with chronic health problems? The question carries with it another that is almost as important: Does the use of these devices move us toward a more moral and just healthcare system, or does it unfairly advantage some groups of patients over others? This research will focus on three specific types of wearable devices, chosen as representative case studies. They are (1) the smartwatch, a more recent advancement in wearable technology that monitors the user's heart rate and physical activity; (2) the continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which presents real-time glucose levels for the user; and (3) the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, also called a respirator, worn during sleep by individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea. Each of these devices has the potential to not only revolutionize the management of chronic health conditions but also raise some important questions about the ethics of doing so.
可穿戴健康技术的出现彻底改变了慢性病的管理方式。这些设备为患者提供个性化的实时健康数据。这项技术最常被用于解决的问题是肥胖及其后果、心脏病和某些癌症。大量研究表明，保持健康体重与患这些疾病的风险较低之间存在关联。然而，可穿戴技术领域的许多智能健康设备仅在体重管理或肥胖的背景下使用，而且大多数时候都是如此。指导这项探索的主要研究问题如下：可穿戴技术的使用如何有效地改善慢性健康问题患者的管理和生活质量？这个问题还伴随着另一个几乎同样重要的问题：使用这些设备会使我们朝着更道德、更公正的医疗保健系统发展，还是会不公平地使某些患者群体比其他群体更具优势？本研究将聚焦于三种特定类型的可穿戴设备，将其作为代表性案例进行研究。它们分别是：（1）智能手表，可穿戴技术的一项最新进展，用于监测用户的心率和身体活动；（2）连续血糖监测仪（CGM），为用户呈现实时血糖水平；（3）持续气道正压通气（CPAP）设备，也称为呼吸器，供被诊断患有睡眠呼吸暂停的个体在睡眠期间佩戴。这些设备中的每一种不仅有可能彻底改变慢性健康状况的管理方式，还会引发一些关于这样做的伦理问题的重要疑问。
