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HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 027

Wearable devices and portable technologies are changing the way health is measured.

Analyse how these innovations have shifted health assessment beyond hospitals and clinics, and discuss the consequences of this shift for both healthcare professionals and individuals managing their own health.   (8 marks)

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Overview

  • Wearable devices and portable technologies have changed how health is measured. These tools now connect personal data with professional care.
  • This change presents new opportunities and challenges for individuals and healthcare workers.

Consequences for health professionals

  • Smartwatches and portable ultrasounds are two examples where consumer wearable devices interact with clinical practice.
  • A smartwatch measuring heart rate can connect to digital health records, allowing continuous updates.
  • Similarly, portable ultrasounds enable rural doctors to diagnose without hospital imaging.
  • This interaction leads to earlier identification of problems and faster responses.
  • The implication is that healthcare becomes more proactive, but professionals must adapt to the increased flow of patient data that has become available.

Consequences for individuals

  • Continuous monitoring by individuals influences their health behaviours.
  • Devices that track sleep, steps, or diet affect motivation and self-management. For example, reminders to move or log food intake result in behaviour change.
  • At the same time, constant alerts cause stress or over-reliance on numbers.
  • This relationship shows the double impact: empowerment on one hand, anxiety on the other.
  • Healthcare workers must guide patients to interpret this information accurately and react appropriately.

Implications and Synthesis

  • Together, these technologies create a system where individuals gather data and professionals interpret it.
  • This means that roles are shifting, with patients more involved in their care.
  • The significance is improved access and prevention, but also greater demand for professional support.
  • Therefore, wearable technology is critically reshaping health measurement and redefining patient–professional relationships.
Show Worked Solution

Overview

  • Wearable devices and portable technologies have changed how health is measured. These tools now connect personal data with professional care.
  • This change presents new opportunities and challenges for individuals and healthcare workers.

Consequences for health professionals

  • Smartwatches and portable ultrasounds are two examples where consumer wearable devices interact with clinical practice.
  • A smartwatch measuring heart rate can connect to digital health records, allowing continuous updates.
  • Similarly, portable ultrasounds enable rural doctors to diagnose without hospital imaging.
  • This interaction leads to earlier identification of problems and faster responses.
  • The implication is that healthcare becomes more proactive, but professionals must adapt to the increased flow of patient data that has become available.

Consequences for individuals

  • Continuous monitoring by individuals influences their health behaviours.
  • Devices that track sleep, steps, or diet affect motivation and self-management. For example, reminders to move or log food intake result in behaviour change.
  • At the same time, constant alerts cause stress or over-reliance on numbers.
  • This relationship shows the double impact: empowerment on one hand, anxiety on the other.
  • Healthcare workers must guide patients to interpret this information accurately and react appropriately.

Implications and Synthesis

  • Together, these technologies create a system where individuals gather data and professionals interpret it.
  • This means that roles are shifting, with patients more involved in their care.
  • The significance is improved access and prevention, but also greater demand for professional support.
  • Therefore, wearable technology is critically reshaping health measurement and redefining patient–professional relationships.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 022

Outline THREE ways that technology is used to measure health outside traditional healthcare settings.   (3 marks)

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  • Portable ultrasound devices – these small devices connect to smartphones and enable doctors to capture high-quality diagnostic images without requiring hospital equipment.
  • Smartwatches – wearable devices that can continuously track vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, and activity levels while sending health risk notifications.
  • Sleep tracking technology – devices that monitor sleep patterns including duration, sleep stages and oxygen levels to identify potential health issues.
Show Worked Solution
  • Portable ultrasound devices – these small devices connect to smartphones and enable doctors to capture high-quality diagnostic images without requiring hospital equipment.
  • Smartwatches – wearable devices that can continuously track vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, and activity levels while sending health risk notifications.
  • Sleep tracking technology – devices that monitor sleep patterns including duration, sleep stages and oxygen levels to identify potential health issues.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 023 MC

Which of the following best explains how wearable technology contributes to preventative healthcare?

  1. It warns the user when surgical treatment is needed
  2. Diagnoses diseases without medical input
  3. Removes the need for professional health consultation
  4. Tracks lifestyle behaviours and identifies early risk factors
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\(D\)

Show Worked Solution

  • D is correct. Wearables track lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity, sleep and heart rate, which can help identify early risk factors for chronic conditions.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect. Wearables cannot directly warn a user when surgical treatment is needed; that requires medical assessment and diagnosis.
  • B is incorrect. Wearables provide health data but do not independently diagnose diseases without professional interpretation.
  • C is incorrect. Professional health consultation remains essential; wearables complement, rather than replace, medical expertise.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 022 MC

Which combination of health measurements can advanced wearable devices typically provide to support preventative health management?

  1. Daily step count, sleep cycle stages, and oxygen saturation
  2. Activity levels, heart rate variability, and menstrual cycle patterns
  3. Real-time blood clot detection, surgical outcome prediction, and tumour growth rates
  4. Recovery time tracking, robotic-assisted movement analysis, and hospital admission rates
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\(A\)

Show Worked Solution
  • A is correct. The measurements described are highly relevant to preventative health as they provide insights into lifestyle and potential risks.

Other options:

  • B is incorrect. While wearable devices can collect data on the areas mentioned, the information is often more relevant to training optimisation or reproductive health.
  • C is incorrect. The measurements require advanced medical imaging and diagnostic tools, not consumer wearables.
  • D is incorrect. The areas mentioned are linked to precision surgery and hospital data systems, not wearable health measurement devices.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 021 MC

A smartwatch that records heart rate during exercise is primarily an example of technology used for:

  1. Measuring health
  2. Monitoring health
  3. Precision surgery
  4. Early diagnosis
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\(A\)

Show Worked Solution
  • A is correct. It is an example of measuring health, as it collects data on a specific physiological function.

Other options:

  • B is incorrect. Monitoring health involves tracking a condition or changes over time rather than simply recording exercise data.
  • C is incorrect. Precision surgery refers to surgical procedures using minimally invasive techniques, not wearable devices.
  • D is incorrect. Early diagnosis involves medical technologies like scans or imaging to detect disease before symptoms progress, not fitness tracking.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 020 MC

A portable ultrasound device that connects to a smartphone best demonstrates which aspect of health technology advancement?

  1. Increased cost of medical equipment
  2. Increased accessibility of healthcare
  3. Improved portability and accessibility of diagnostic tools
  4. Decreased quality of medical imaging
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\(C\)

Show Worked Solution

  • C is correct. This option precisely captures both key aspects: the device is portable (small enough to plug into a smartphone) and accessible (can be used outside traditional healthcare settings).

Other options:

  • A is incorrect. This technology eliminates the need for expensive machines and it actually reduces costs.
  • C is incorrect. While partially correct, this option is too broad and doesn’t specifically address the technological advancement being demonstrated.
  • D is incorrect. These devices provide high quality images with little compromise in image quality despite the smaller size.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 019 MC

Which device is most commonly used by individuals to track daily step counts?

  1. MRI scanner
  2. Smartwatch
  3. CT scanner
  4. Robotic surgical system
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\(B\)

Show Worked Solution

  • B is correct. A smartwatch is the most common device used by individuals to measure and track daily step counts.

Other options:

  • A is incorrect. MRI scanners are used in hospitals for diagnostic imaging.
  • C is incorrect. CT scanners also provide medical imaging.
  • D is incorrect. Robotic surgical systems are used in precision surgery.