Comprehensive Agility and Resilience Evaluation: The CARE Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Technology and Data Science Based Model for Physical Health Agility Assessment in Older People with Diabetes
IRAS ID
358569
Contact name
Stephen Bain
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 3 months, 23 days
Research summary
The aim of this study is to develop a mobile application or ‘app’ which can safely and correctly categorise frailty and physical capacity in older people with type 2 diabetes.
Healthy aging with diabetes is a challenge. People with diabetes are at an increased risk of disability, frailty and muscle weakness and loss. Assessment of physical health agility is important to determine an individual's biological age (as opposed to chronological age); this can then be used to advise on appropriate health targets, for example, for blood glucose levels and blood pressure. In addition, such an assessment is important as it may allow for timely intervention in older people with diabetes. Interventions that have been shown to reduce the risk of disability and reduce health care costs.
Our academic partners have previously conducted work in this area however, further validation and development of their model is required in order to categorise individuals into a three-level physical health agility scale and to provide detailed information relating to specific aspects of aerobic, strength, and balance capacities. This study will deploy several advanced data mining, machine learning and temporal data mining techniques to analyse the longitudinal motion and general historical data of the participants in order to correctly assess their physical health agility status.
Swansea University's involvement is as a research site recruiting participants from whom data will be collected. Participants will attend 1 study visit at the Health and Wellbeing Academy, Swansea University, to complete a series of physical agility and frailty tests, along with one cognitive test. They will also download an app to their phone which will collect movement data for 1 month. Information regarding falls, hospitalizations, attendance at any emergency department during the 12 months prior to and 12 months following enrolment in the study will also be collected via medical records.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EM/0178
Date of REC Opinion
5 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion