Kim Du-Ri, Park Jong-Hwan, Jang Min-Woo, Sung Min-Ji, Song Seung-Hwan, Huh Up, Ra Young-Jin, Tak Young-Jin
Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea.
Department of Convergence Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 May 18;13(10):1176. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13101176.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study is a pilot evaluation of the applicability of wearable digital healthcare devices for Korean male seafarers. Seafarers are exposed to health risks due to unstable and confined living conditions, and their access to healthcare services becomes significantly challenging, especially with the substantial decrease in physical activity onboard. This study aimed to monitor the physical activity of these seafarers through wearable devices and evaluate the potential of managing their health using these technologies.
During the 12-week study, which included 11 participants, it was confirmed that monitoring physical activity using wearable devices and smartphone applications was effective.
Over the 12-week period, the average systolic blood pressure decreased from 137.09 ± 13.05 mmHg to 124.36 ± 5.66 mmHg, and the average diastolic blood pressure decreased from 86.45 ± 10.24 mmHg to 77.45 ± 5.26 mmHg, showing a statistically significant reduction ( = 0.011). Additionally, participants experienced an average weight reduction of 1.19 kg. Satisfaction with the use of wearable devices was reported to be moderate.
Such digital healthcare can encourage the maintenance of healthy habits by continuously monitoring physical activity and providing feedback. Considering the difficulties seafarers face in accessing medical services, the adoption of digital healthcare through wearable devices is essential, contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases and overall health improvement of seafarers. Future research should explore the long-term benefits and potential challenges of these digital healthcare solutions on a larger scale.
背景/目的：本研究是对可穿戴数字医疗设备在韩国男性海员中的适用性进行的初步评估。由于生活条件不稳定且受限，海员面临健康风险，他们获得医疗服务的难度显著增加，尤其是船上身体活动大幅减少的情况下。本研究旨在通过可穿戴设备监测这些海员的身体活动，并评估利用这些技术管理他们健康的潜力。
在为期12周的研究中，包括11名参与者，证实使用可穿戴设备和智能手机应用程序监测身体活动是有效的。
在12周期间，平均收缩压从137.09±13.05mmHg降至124.36±5.66mmHg，平均舒张压从86.45±10.24mmHg降至77.45±5.26mmHg，显示出统计学上的显著降低（P = 0.011）。此外，参与者平均体重减轻了1.19kg。据报告，对可穿戴设备使用的满意度为中等。
这种数字医疗可以通过持续监测身体活动并提供反馈来鼓励保持健康习惯。考虑到海员在获得医疗服务方面面临的困难，通过可穿戴设备采用数字医疗至关重要，有助于预防慢性病并改善海员的整体健康。未来的研究应在更大规模上探索这些数字医疗解决方案的长期益处和潜在挑战。
