Smart home healthcare for chronic disease management: A scoping review

Chronic disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality on a global scale. Recent use of intelligent home environments for remote health monitoring has allowed patients to feel safe at home. By encouraging patient engagement and, if necessary, care delivery, smart home environments may be a useful method for managing chronic diseases at home. The purpose of this study is to synthesize the evidence on the usage of smart healthcare in the home for chronic illness management.

We conducted a scoping review using the Joanna Briggs Methodology and searched three databases from 2017 to 2022 for original research papers on smart healthcare, smart home technology, home-based technology, home monitoring, and physiological monitoring for chronic illness management. We did a descriptive study on the pertinent data we collected, as well as an analysis of whether the devices met its objectives.

The final analysis included nine papers, the majority of which were randomized controlled trials. All of the studies were carried out in developed countries. The gadgets or smart healthcare in these studies are categorized based on the technology used and the outcomes measured. Respiratory, weight, and ballistocardiograph measurements, as well as changes in questionnaire ratings, hospitalization, activity monitoring, device acceptability, medication adherence, exercise capacity, and body function, were all measured.

Smart healthcare applications boost health by monitoring health and wellness, recording physical activity and rehabilitation, and improving overall quality of life. Not all smart home applications, however, served their intended purpose. As a result, more research into the efficacy of smart healthcare is needed to improve its application for chronic illness treatment.