Friday 31 October 2008, 12:00AM
PEARLS 124, November 2008, written by Brian R
McAvoy
Clinical question
How effective are smart home technologies as an
intervention for people with physical disability, cognitive
impairment or learning disability, who are living at home?
Bottom line
Although the review produced a significant volume of literature on
the use of smart technologies (such as customised mobile telephones
and alarm and monitoring sensors) within healthcare, there were no
studies testing their effectiveness. There is a lack of empirical
evidence to support or refute the use of smart home technologies
within health and social care.
Caveat
As with many new technologies, smart home technologies are often
used without first testing if they are effective. Outcome measures
included in the selection criteria for studies included any
objective measure that records an impact on a participant's quality
of life, healthcare professional workload, economic outcomes, costs
to healthcare provider or costs to participants. Measures of
service satisfaction, device satisfaction and health-care
professional attitudes or satisfaction were also included. No
studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria.
Context
The integration of smart home technology to support health and
social care is acquiring an increasing global significance.
Provision is framed within the context of a rapidly changing
population profile, which is impacting on the number of people
requiring health and social care, workforce availability and the
funding of healthcare systems. Smart home technologies include
mobile telephones tailored to healthcare, electronic sensors that
sound alarms in emergency situations, and sensors that can be
placed in everyday home appliances such as fridges, ovens or doors,
and that can send information to healthcare providers.
Cochrane Systematic Review
Martin S et al. Smart home technologies for health and social care
support. Cochrane Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Article No. CD006412. DOI:
10.1002/14651858.CD006412.pub2. This review contained no studies
which met the inclusion criteria.