Proposing A Novel Method for Prevention and Intervention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) with Assistance of Wearable Sensor Technology

Abstract

URTIs are a group of seasonal bacterial and viral infections. Symptoms related to URTIs are the number one cause of missed school and work (Keech et al., 1998). This proposed study would examine how wearable sensor technology and telehealth notifications may assist in preventing and expediting the recovery of URTIs. Participants of this study were divided into three groups of varying levels of wearable sensor technology and URTI telehealth notifications to measure health statistics and URTI prevention and treatment: No Device No Text – control with no Fitbit, Device No Text – Fitbit, and Device With Text – Fitbit with telehealth text notifications. The difference in frequency and longevity of URTIs as a result of group classification from this study may be observed. The results of this experiment could have implications on the future of telehealth as a relatively affordable and accessible aid in treating and monitoring patients facing common infections. This paper will serve as a framework for using wearable sensor technology and telehealth notifications in preventing and mitigating the effects of URTIs.