ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on mobile Health smartphone applications and wearables for Alzheimer’s patients. It provides an overview of mHealth, the applicable United States (US) regulatory framework and related ethical issues. The chapter describes common uses, promises and benefits of mobile health (mHealth) in Alzheimer’s care as examples that especially highlight significant considerations common to other areas of mHealth, as well as other health information technologies. It examines the US regulatory environment, not only because it is a giant technological market with worldwide influence, but also because regulatory and ethical issues in the US exemplify considerations that are significant elsewhere. The chapter explains why regulatory, privacy and security concerns might be more apparent in the case of mHealth apps developed for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their caregivers, especially considering concerns about privacy, user burdens and consent in light of cognitive impairment. Technology companies and application developers see a potential market in developing tools to address dementia prevention and care.
