Sistema basado en reglas para la autogestión de la salud en el asma

Abstract

OBJECTIVES OF THE THESIS Development of an intelligent and collaborative tool that allows studying the data entered by patients to achieve self-management processes of health in chronic diseases and more specifically in asthma that allows monitoring, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. To achieve this objective, the following sub-objectives were proposed: • Obtaining a rule-based knowledge base within the asthma domain. • Obtaining a system for the monitoring of different asthma parameters. • Obtaining a system of recommendations to the patient using a system based on rules. • Obtaining a system for monitoring treatments and recommendations. • Obtaining a comprehensive mobile tool for self-management of asthma and the monitoring, prevention and treatment of this disease in patients. METHODOLOGY This doctoral thesis was developed in 3 phases, the first was the study of the state of the art, the second was the development of an intelligent application that performs the monitoring and follow-up of patients with asthma using a model of rules, and the third phase was the validation of the proposal. Study of the state of the art: The study of the concepts and terms concerning information technologies (IT) in the health field was developed, the analysis of existing architectures in the treatment of asthma as well as self-management was also carried out. In addition, the different mobile applications in the field of self-management of health related to asthma were analyzed and the main characteristics of these mobile applications were identified. Development of an intelligent application that performs the monitoring and follow-up of patients with asthma using a rules model and a health self-management approach: With the contribution of the experience and knowledge of experts, it was possible to determine a set of rules and recommendations in the control and treatment of asthma. A web and mobile application was designed using inference rules, based on the knowledge and mastery of experts, which allows monitoring, alert management and recommendations for patients with asthma. Validation of the proposal: With the collaboration of experts and patients in the asthma domain, constant tests of the self-management system were carried out, based on disease control indicators. It was possible to evaluate the evolution of patients before and after the use of the self-management application and finally the adaptability of patients and doctors in the use of the tool was evaluated. CONCLUSIONS This doctoral thesis proposes a rule-based help system, specifically in the control and monitoring of asthma with the contribution of health experts. Parameters related to asthma attacks have also been included, such as overweight, blood pressure, wheezing, peak flow, allergy, as well as control of the use of medications, inhalers, nebulizers and sports activities; in addition to provide an exercise and food guide. The Healthmonitor application for asthma control contains features such as parameter recording, improved clinical management, data storage, with the possibility of sharing information and great potential for changing habits. It is aimed at users with asthma and serves to keep track of treatment, it is also fast and its interface is simplified for patient use, it has functions that allow the registration and consultation of the medical data of each patient in order to keep a detailed control of them. With this application, it is intended that asthma patients have a type of help that allows them to maintain patient-doctor communication with continuous monitoring. In addition, with the database it has, it seeks to improve the decision-making process. Additionally, the specialists would have a tool that allows them to monitor their patients through reports and alerts, this represents an improvement in the quality of care.