PhD defence Maggie Han

Keywords: End-stage renal disease, Physical activity, Sleep, Wearable activity tracker 

"Physical Activity and Sleep Monitoring Using Wearable Devices in Patients on Hemodialysis"

People on hemodialysis often move very little and sleep poorly, which can harm their health and quality of life. This thesis shows how simple wearable trackers, like Fitbits, can measure their daily steps and sleep over long periods.

Activity was lowest on Sundays and was clearly affected by dialysis days, time of year, and where people live. Patients in more walkable, urban neighborhoods were generally more active. During COVID-19 lockdowns, their step counts dropped even further.

Sleep was shorter on days with very early dialysis sessions and followed different patterns between treatments. One study also suggested that a more intensive form of dialysis did not change how long patients said they slept.

Overall, this work shows that wearables can reveal important behavior patterns and help design ways to improve activity, sleep, and well-being for people on hemodialysis.

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