EHealth Innovation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Context-Aware Comprehensive Framework

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) poses a significant global healthcare challenge. It is a progressive lung disease that causes breathing difficulties and can significantly impact a person's quality of life. COPD is primarily caused by smoking, but other factors, such as air pollution and genetic predisposition, can also contribute to its development. This paper introduces a novel Context-Aware Framework for the Diagnosis and Personalized Management of COPD. We discuss the limitations of traditional COPD management, highlighting the importance of early detection and remote monitoring. Early detection and remote monitoring are crucial in managing COPD as they allow for timely interventions and better disease management. In this paper, we propose a framework based mostly on contextual data and other parameters of COPD as put forth by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the form of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Ontologies drive this architecture and incorporate dynamic contextual information from patient environments, user profiles, and sensor data. In addition to the various obvious data items like patient personal details (gender, contact, medical history) and COPD risks and symptoms, the COPD ontology also considers the details about the caregiver and healthcare professional. This is in addition to the contextual data processed separately using the Context Ontology. The ontology we constructed using Protégé serves as the framework for the structured representation and logical inference of contextual information. By harnessing dynamic contextual data, our ontology enables real-time decision-making tailored to individual patient requirements. It empowers healthcare professionals to make informed choices and deliver timely interventions, enhancing healthcare services by offering proactive care to detect early signs of health deterioration and suggest preventive measures. This approach improves patient experiences and optimizes resource allocation within the healthcare system. To uphold ethical standards and prioritize the needs of patients, we emphasize the significance of safeguarding data, obtaining informed permission, and recognizing data ownership. The ontology-based approach presented in this study offers a scalable and flexible framework that can be readily incorporated into existing healthcare systems, redefining the management of COPD in response to evolving demands. Security poses one of the biggest threats in context-based environments due to the different data formats acquired by the diverse sensors. Another essential consideration is confidentiality because the data in hand is sensitive patient information.