Enhancing Chronic Diabetes Care with Companion Robots in Rural Taiwan.

Journal: Studies in health technology and informatics
Published Date: Aug 7, 2025

Abstract

Managing chronic diabetes in rural Taiwan remains challenging due to limited medical access and low health literacy. This pilot study evaluated a two-month, two-phase intervention using Bluetooth-enabled glucometers, smart wristbands, and a gamified companion robot among 30 elderly patients. While medication adherence and emotional well-being showed suggested improvement, effects on cognition and depression were limited. The findings support the feasibility of integrating low-threshold, interactive technologies into rural chronic care. Future studies with longer duration and larger samples are needed to assess sustained impact.

Authors

  • Yu-Ting Lin
    From the Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Huei-Ling Chiu
    School of Gerontology and Long-Term Care, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: reiko@tmu.edu.tw.
  • Jing-Wen Shao
    School of Gerontology and Long-Term Care, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Hsuan-Chia Yang
    Clinical Big Data Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Chih-Wei Huang
    Clinical Big Data Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

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