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Background and Objectives: Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors have been increasingly used for remote patient monitoring, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, for the management of chronic diseases and neurological disorders. There is an urgent need to evaluate the accuracy of these devices. This scoping review considers the latest applications of wearable PPG sensors with a focus on studies that used wearable PPG sensors to monitor various health parameters. The primary objective is to report the accuracy of the PPG sensors in both real-world and clinical settings. Methods: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Studies were identified by querying the Medline, Embase, IEEE, and CINAHL databases. The goal was to capture eligible studies that used PPG sensors to monitor various health parameters for populations with a minimum of 30 participants, with at least some of the population having relevant health issues. A total of 2,996 articles were screened and 28 are included in this review. Results: The health parameters and disorders identified and investigated in this study include heart rate and heart rate variability, atrial fibrillation, blood pressure (BP), obstructive sleep apnea, blood glucose, heart failure, and respiratory rate. An overview of the algorithms used, and their limitations is provided. Conclusion: Some of the barriers identified in evaluating the accuracy of multiple types of wearable devices include the absence of reporting standard accuracy metrics and a general paucity of studies with large subject size in real-world settings, especially for parameters such as BP.
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BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a serious toll on people with dementia. Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 context, policymakers and practitioners require timely, evidence-informed research to address the changing needs and challenges of people with dementia and their family care partners. OBJECTIVE: Using Twitter data, the objective of this study was to examine the COVID-19 impact on people with dementia from the perspective of their family members and friends. METHODS: Using the Twint application in Python, we collected 6243 relevant tweets over a 15-month time frame. The tweets were divided among 11 coders and analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. RESULTS: Based on our analysis, 3 main themes were identified: (1) frustration and structural inequities (eg, denied dignity and inadequate supports), (2) despair due to loss (eg, isolation, decline, and death), and (3) resiliency, survival, and hope for the future. CONCLUSIONS: As the COVID-19 pandemic persists and new variants emerge, people with dementia and their family care partners are facing complex challenges that require timely interventions. More specifically, tackling COVID-19 challenges requires revisiting pandemic policies and protocols to ensure equitable access to health and support services, recognizing the essential role of family care partners, and providing financial assistance and resources to help support people with dementia in the pandemic. Revaluating COVID-19 policies is critical to mitigating the pandemic's impact on people with dementia and their family care partners.