Does your health monitor have device bias?

In recent years, there’s been a veritable explosion in the number and type of health monitoring devices available in smartphones and fitness apps. Your smartphone is likely tracking the number of steps you take, how far and fast you walk, and how many flights of stairs you climb each day. Some phones log sleep, heart rate, how much energy you’re burning, and even “gait health” (how often are both feet on the ground? how even are your steps?). And, of course, nonphone wearables and fitness gadgets are available, such as devices to measure your heart rhythm, blood pressure, or oxygen levels. The accuracy of these devices varies — and, in some instances, your skin tone may make a difference. Generally, how accurate are health monitors? I know from my experience with hospital monitoring devices that they aren’t always accurate. False alarms from EKG monitors often send medical staff scurrying into patient rooms, only to find the patient feeling fine and surprised about the commotion. A particularly common false alarm is a dangerous and unstable heart rhythm on a continuous heart monitor, which can be due to the motion from a patient brushing their teeth. High-stakes devices with monitoring capability, such as defibrillators and pacemakers, are extensively tested by their makers and vetted by the FDA, so their accuracy and reliability are generally quite good. But what about home health monitoring devices intended for consumer use that are not extensively tested by the...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Children's Health Health care disparities Health trends Healthy Aging Heart Health Source Type: blogs