Thermal Imaging in Old and Frail in the Community

NHS Foundation Trust

Status: Completed

Conditions: Old Age; Debility

Treatments: Other: Infra red thermal imaging

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03884218

STH19634

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to test whether infrared thermal imaging using a non-touch, non-ionising, thermal camera system is feasible and reliable as an independent technique for thermal comfort assessment in older people and frail older people living in a care home and with or without mild cognitive impairment.

Full description

Thermal comfort (TC) is a complex interaction involving physiological, social, cultural and clothing factors. In hospital and in care homes, health-issues (frailty, dementia, immobility) can affect a person's perception of TC.

In the UK 18,000 care homes provide living-communities for approximately 400,000 people. Many are old/frail and vulnerable to indoor chilling. A quality indicator for a good ''home'' environment is related to TC. However, in multiplyoccupied rooms TC varies between individuals. The challenge in health-assessment is in identifying ''uncomfortable'' residents (too hot/too cold). As TC is a subjective perception; a carer cannot reliably predict TC in another person.

The objectives are to use infra-red thermal imaging (IRTI) to 'see' the body temperature map, to demonstrate prevalence of TC/thermal discomfort, to demonstrate whether there is correspondence/dissociation between TC self-report and IRTI-measured body/extremity (hand) temperature.

The study aims to establish if TC can be predicted by an independent non-invasive imaging device

Expected achievements are a two-way pathway to health impact:

1. identification of eligible adults via NHS intermediary care- and awaiting care home residency
2. expert guidance and collaboration with NHS partners
3. translation of results from community to NHS setting e.g. stoke/aged care medicine for improved thermal care on the hospital wards Longer-term the expected achievement (5-7 years)-working with NHS colleagues and design/product development teams is expected to lead towards a commercialisation pathway.

Enrollment: 39 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60 to 105 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Care home residents who are:

• Aged over 60 to a maximum age of 105 years
• Able to sit comfortably for up to 20 minutes without marked agitation.
• Ability to understand, read and speak English.

Exclusion criteria

Care home residents who are/have:

• Severe dementia
• Unable to hold a conversation
• Who do not wish to take part in the study
• Unable to speak or understand English
• Unable to sit with other residents
• Who are severely agitated or unsettled

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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39 participants in 1 patient group

Thermal Comfort

Other group

Description:

Infra red thermal image

Treatment:

Other: Infra red thermal imaging