Smartphones to improve health of elderly diabetics

BANGALORE, INDIA: Cellular phones -- once a luxury used strictly for talking -- have taken on many new roles in recent years. Now researchers at Saint Louis University and Old Dominion University in Virginia say smartphones can be used to help elderly diabetics manage their health and learn more about their condition.

A team of researchers from business, engineering, medicine and public health, as well as practitioners and researchers in China, designed the smartphone technology, which includes interactive games and easy-to-use logging features, especially for elderly Chinese diabetics. They will present their research on Oct. 29 in Washington, D.C. at the mHealth Summit, a public-private partnership of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.

Initial studies of the interactive diabetes self-management system, called the Chinese Aged Diabetic Assistant (CADA), are

promising, researchers found. The system enables diabetics to track their blood glucose, weight, diet, exercise, mood and blood pressure -- valuable information that will assist their doctors in providing the best care possible.

"We know that patients with chronic illnesses who are actively involved in their health care have better outcomes, yet this can be a challenging task. Mobile technologies can empower elderly people to better understand diabetes, track their health indicators more closely and follow a healthier lifestyle," said Maggie Jiao Ma, Ph.D., assistant professor at SLU's Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology.

(ScienceDaily)