Webinar Recap: Measuring Activity And Gait In Children With DHTs

By Rakesh Pilkar, Ph.D.

The increasing use of digital health technology (DHT) in clinical research is expanding our understanding of real-world human function. Despite their potential benefits, DHTs face technical challenges, especially in diverse populations like pediatric participants. A recent Rock Health report highlights disparities in healthcare innovation investments benefiting children. Efforts like the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) and Boston Children’s Hospital's Pediatric Digital Medicine Playbook aim to bridge these gaps.

Another initiative addressing these challenges is Pfizer Innovation Research Lab’s Monitoring Activity and Gait in Children (MAGIC) study using DHTs. This study aims to validate digital measures for physical activity (PA) and gait, establish normative data, and assess wearable comfort and compliance in children. In our May 2024 Digital Health Monthly webinar, I discussed the study with Junrui Di, PhD, Associate Director, Digital Medicine Statistics at Pfizer.

Gait, often termed the 6th vital sign, is crucial for mobility and health assessment, highlighted by its recognition as a clinical endpoint by the EMA and FDA. Validating DHTs for these measures is essential for providing meaningful clinical insights and advancing pediatric health research.