A New Tool for Assessing Older Adults' Wireless Network Proficiency: The Wireless Network Proficiency Questionnaire.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Roque NA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8363155 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Mobile device proficiency is increasingly required to participate in society. Unfortunately, there still exists a digital divide between younger and older adults, especially with respect to mobile devices (i.e., tablet computers and smartphones). Training is an important goal to ensure that older adults can reap the benefits of these devices. However, efficient/effective training depends on the ability to gauge current proficiency levels. We developed a new scale to accurately assess the mobile device proficiency of older adults: the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ). We present and validate the MDPQ and a short 16-question version of the MDPQ (MDPQ-16). The MDPQ, its subscales, and the MDPQ-16 were found to be highly reliable and valid measures of mobile device proficiency in a large sample. We conclude that the MDPQ and MDPQ-16 may serve as useful tools for facilitating mobile device training of older adults and measuring mobile device proficiency for research purposes.
| S-EPMC9394541 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose of the studyComputers and the Internet have the potential to enrich the lives of seniors and aid in the performance of important tasks required for independent living. A prerequisite for reaping these benefits is having the skills needed to use these systems, which is highly dependent on proper training. One prerequisite for efficient and effective training is being able to gauge current levels of proficiency. We developed a new measure (the Computer Proficiency Questionnaire, or CPQ) to measure computer proficiency in the domains of computer basics, printing, communication, Internet, calendaring software, and multimedia use. Our aim was to develop a measure appropriate for individuals with a wide range of proficiencies from noncomputer users to extremely skilled users.Design and methodsTo assess the reliability and validity of the CPQ, a diverse sample of older adults, including 276 older adults with no or minimal computer experience, was recruited and asked to complete the CPQ.ResultsThe CPQ demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's α = .98), with subscale reliabilities ranging from .86 to .97. Age, computer use, and general technology use all predicted CPQ scores. Factor analysis revealed three main factors of proficiency related to Internet and e-mail use; communication and calendaring; and computer basics. Based on our findings, we also developed a short-form CPQ (CPQ-12) with similar properties but 21 fewer questions.ImplicationsThe CPQ and CPQ-12 are useful tools to gauge computer proficiency for training and research purposes, even among low computer proficient older adults.
| S-EPMC4542703 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To study the measurement properties, the responsiveness and the minimal clinically important difference of the ENDOPAIN-4D: a new questionnaire for assessing pain in endometriosis. A prospective, observational, multicentre study was conducted including all women ≥18 years consulting for symptomatic proven endometriosis between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2018 and volunteering to participate. Each patient had to answer a new self-administered patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires (the ENDOPAIN-4D) at inclusion (T0) and 12 months after medical or surgical treatment (T1). Criteria defined by COSMIN were used to validate the questionnaire's measurement properties. The minimal clinically important difference was estimated by the anchor-based method. The study included 199 women. The ENDOPAIN-4D score had a four dimensional structure with good internal consistency (measured by Cronbach α): (I) pain-related disability (α = 0.79), (II) painful bowel symptoms (α = 0.80), (III) dyspareunia (α = 0.83), and (IV) painful urinary tract symptoms (α = 0.77). They produced four subscores that can be summed to obtain a single score (α = 0.61). The ENDOPAIN-4D total score ranged from 0 to 94.00 (mean ± SD: 46.7 ± 22). The total score was significantly correlated with the PROs used in endometriosis. Sensitivity to change was good with large effect sizes (ES) (mean of the differences: 36.3 p = 1.8 10-7, ES 0.76). The minimal clinically important difference of the global score was determined to be 10.9. The ENDOPAIN-4D questionnaire is easy to use, valid, and effective in assessing patient reported pain symptoms in women treated for endometriosis. This new instrument can be used as the primary outcome for future clinical trials and as a tool for routine patient follow-up.
| S-EPMC8348422 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectivesThis study examined the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on trajectories of depressive symptoms among Mexican American older adults in the United States.Research design and methodsThe sample was drawn from Waves 1 to 6 (1993-2007) of the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE). A total of 2,945 Mexican American older adults were included in the analyses. A latent growth curve modeling was conducted.ResultsAfter adjusting for covariates, results show that Mexican American older adults with LEP had higher levels of depressive symptoms than those with English proficiency (EP) at baseline as well as over a 14-year period. Differential trajectories were observed between those with LEP and EP over time, indicating that those with LEP had a significantly steeper curve of depressive symptom trajectories over time than those with EP.Discussion and implicationsThese results suggest that LEP is a risk factor not merely for greater depressive symptomatology at each time point, but for an accelerated trajectory of depressive symptoms over time among Mexican American older adults. Overall, the findings emphasize the need to assist not only the informal support system of Mexican American older adults with LEP, but also the formal system.
| S-EPMC6857694 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We describe theoretical background, development, and piloting of a measure for quality of life in older adults that specifically takes into account the subjective perspective. Although quality of life is usually subjectively assessed, normative thresholds for "the good life" are most often set by a third party. The new tool FLQM asks for respondents to name, rate, and weight those domains in life that are most important for their life-satisfaction solely from their own point of view. Construct validity was pilot-tested in two samples of elders (N1 = 44; N2 = 90). Correlations were in the medium range in both studies and support the questionnaire's validity. There were no age or gender differences on total score. However, in Study 1 as well as in Study 2 older subjects named significantly fewer domains than did younger participants. Further, in Study 1 the overall number of distinct domains generated by the participants diminished with age-the "interindividual pool of domains" shrank. Implications of this age-associated narrowing of domainscope are discussed on a background of adaptation theories. Concluding, the new questionnaire seems apt to assess older peoples' quality of life even in a physically very ill population, but needs further testing, especially regarding its reliability. This is currently being undertaken in a larger longitudinal sample to assure psychometric properties.
| S-EPMC5547354 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundThe prevalence and cost of musculoskeletal diseases increased dramatically over the past few decades. Therefore, several institutions have begun to re-evaluate the quality of their musculoskeletal educational paths. However, current standardized questionnaires inadequately assess musculoskeletal knowledge, and other musculoskeletal-specific exams have limitations in implementation. The musculoskeletal 30-question multiple choice questionnaire (MSK-30) was proposed as a new tool for assessing basic musculoskeletal knowledge.AimTo analyse basic musculoskeletal knowledge in a sample of Italian physiotherapists by administering the MSK-30 questionnaire.MethodsAfter a transcultural adaptation process, the MSK-30 was developed and administered to Italian physiotherapists to assess their musculoskeletal knowledge. Participants were invited to participate in the survey via the SurveyMonkey link. Mann-Whitney test and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction were used to observe the differences between groups in the MSK-30 scores.ResultsFour hundred-fourteen (n=414) physiotherapists participated in the survey. The median MSK-30 value was higher in physiotherapists who attended the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists postgraduate certification than in those who attended unstructured postgraduate training in musculoskeletal condition or in those who had not completed any postgraduate training in this field (p<0.001).ConclusionsThis work demonstrates significant differences in the management of musculoskeletal disorders between those with specific postgraduate university education and those without. The findings can contribute to the advancement of the physiotherapy profession in Italy. Authors recommend further research with more robust methodologies to deeper understand this topic. Musculoskeletal conditions will continue to represent a significant portion of primary care visits, and future generations of physiotherapists must be prepared to address this challenge.
| S-EPMC10996259 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bilingual older adults typically have better performance on tasks of executive control (EC) than do their monolingual peers, but differences in brain activity due to language experience are not well understood. Based on studies showing a relation between the dynamic range of brain network activity and performance on EC tasks, we hypothesized that life-long bilingual older adults would show increased functional connectivity relative to monolinguals in networks related to EC. We assessed intrinsic functional connectivity and modulation of activity in task vs. fixation periods in two brain networks that are active when EC is engaged, the frontoparietal control network (FPC) and the salience network (SLN). We also examined the default mode network (DMN), which influences behavior through reduced activity during tasks. We found stronger intrinsic functional connectivity in the FPC and DMN in bilinguals than in monolinguals. Although there were no group differences in the modulation of activity across tasks and fixation, bilinguals showed stronger correlations than monolinguals between intrinsic connectivity in the FPC and task-related increases of activity in prefrontal and parietal regions. This bilingual difference in network connectivity suggests that language experience begun in childhood and continued throughout adulthood influences brain networks in ways that may provide benefits in later life.
| S-EPMC4898959 | biostudies-other
Project description:No rapid methods exist for screening overall dietary intakes in older adults.The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scoring system for a diet screening tool to identify nutritional risk in community-dwelling older adults.This cross-sectional study in older adults (n = 204) who reside in rural areas examined nutrition status by using an in-person interview, biochemical measures, and four 24-h recalls that included the use of dietary supplements.The dietary screening tool was able to characterize 3 levels of nutritional risk: at risk, possible risk, and not at risk. Individuals classified as at nutritional risk had significantly lower indicators of diet quality (Healthy Eating Index and Mean Adequacy Ratio) and intakes of protein, most micronutrients, dietary fiber, fruit, and vegetables. The at-risk group had higher intakes of fats and oils and refined grains. The at-risk group also had the lowest serum vitamin B-12, folate, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin concentrations. The not-at-nutritional-risk group had significantly higher lycopene and beta-carotene and lower homocysteine and methylmalonic acid concentrations.The dietary screening tool is a simple and practical tool that can help to detect nutritional risk in older adults.
| S-EPMC2697000 | biostudies-literature
Project description:AimThe aim of this study is to construct a new tool for the assessment of sexual dysfunction among men with diabetes that is valid and reliable across different ethnicities, languages and socio-economic backgrounds in South East Asia.MethodsFocus group interviews were conducted to determine the construct of the questionnaire. Content and face validity were assessed by a panel of experts. A pilot study was conducted to validate the Sexual Dysfunction in Asian Men with Diabetes (SAD-MEN) questionnaire in English and Malay. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) was used for comparison. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, reliability was determined using Cronbach's α (> 0.700), and test-retest reliability using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.ResultsThe SAD-MEN questionnaire yielded moderate face and content validity, with high reliability as shown by Cronbach's α values of 0.949 for sexual performance and 0.775 for sexual desire for the English version. The Malay language questionnaire had a Cronbach's α value of 0.945 for sexual performance and 0.750 for sexual desire. Test-retest reliability using Spearman's test gave correlation coefficients of r = 0.853, P = 0.000 for the English language questionnaire and r = 0.908, P = 0.000 for the Malay language questionnaire.ConclusionThe SAD-MEN questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool by which to assess sexual dysfunction in English- and Malay-speaking Malaysian and South East Asian men with diabetes.
| S-EPMC5057321 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAge-associated increases in medical complexity, frailty, and cognitive impairment may compromise reliable reporting of medical history.ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of increasing age and cognitive impairment on concordance between reported history of stroke and cerebral infarction, and reported history of diabetes and elevated hemoglobinA1c in community-dwelling older adults.MethodsThe association between participant-specific factors and accurate reporting of stroke or diabetes was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression in 1,401 participants enrolled in longitudinal studies of memory and aging, including 425 participants with dementia (30.3%). Stroke and diabetes were selected as index variables as gold standard measures of both were obtained in all participants: magnetic resonance neuroimaging for cerebral infarcts and hemoglobinA1c (≥6.5%) for diabetes.ResultsConcordance between reported history of stroke and imaging-confirmed cerebral infarction was low (sensitivity: 17.4%, 8/46; specificity: 97.9%, 799/816). Small infarcts were strongly associated with inaccurate reporting (OR = 265.8; 95% CI: 86.2, 819.4), suggesting that occult/silent infarcts contributed to discordant reporting. Reporting accuracy was higher concerning diabetes (sensitivity: 83.5%, 147/176; specificity: 96.2%, 1100/1143). A history of hypertension (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.2), higher hemoglobinA1c (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.5, 2.4), and hemoglobinA1c compatible with impaired glucose tolerance (OR = 3.1; 95% CI 1.8, 5.3) associated with increased odds of discordant reporting. Cognitive impairment and increased age were not independently associated with reliable reporting.ConclusionFactors beyond advancing age and cognitive impairment appear to drive discordance in reported medical history in older participants. Objective testing for cerebral infarcts or diabetes should be performed when relevant to diagnostic or therapeutic decisions in clinical and research settings.
| S-EPMC7669691 | biostudies-literature