SmartCards as Analogous Tools to Operate Tablet Computers for Elderly-A Feasibility Study.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Older adults sometimes shy away from using modern digital communication devices due to lacking experience and fear of failure. Within the present project, SmartCards were developed as analogous means to operate tablet computers for older adults with little previous computer experience. We investigated whether the SmartCards-Tablet-System would (a) increase use of digital communication and (b) affect loneliness, autonomy, cognitive ability and wellbeing of the users.Methods
The suitability and acceptance of the system was evaluated during a three month trial period with seniors in retirement homes, seniors with home assistance care and a waiting control group.Results
Acceptance, duration of use and frequency of use were high in both experimental groups. Cognitive ability significantly improved after three months' use in both experimental groups. Effects on loneliness, autonomy and wellbeing could not be observed.Discussion
Our results indicate that seniors are very much able and curious to use modern digital devices if the interface and hardware are adjusted to their needs and capabilities without being stigmatizing. The use of modern communication services and the World Wide Web can promote contact of seniors with their (younger) relatives.
SUBMITTER: Mueller SM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8466033 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders that may affect women during pregnancy. The prompt identification of this disorder, and the provision of treatment, may help to reduce the likelihood of post-partum depression, prevent severe forms of the disease, and reduce its intergenerational impact. Despite women's repeated encounters with health services throughout their antenatal care, depression often goes undiagnosed. This is one area where mobile health could prove useful. We will assess the feasibility of using tablets to incorporate depression screening into antenatal pathways. We will also assess if survey layout could affect the quality of the data collected through these devices. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:We will test the feasibility of using iPad Airs for the administration of the Whooley questions and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in England. We will assess the impact of survey layout on the quality of the responses given to these screening scales using a parallel, randomised controlled study design. We will calculate the positive predictive value, the negative predictive value and the false omission rate of the Whooley questions in comparison with the EPDS. We will calculate differences in data equivalence, time needed to complete the surveys, break-off rates, data completeness and requests for help between the 2 experimental groups: using all questions in one screen and navigation by vertical scrolling, or a single question per screen and navigation by multiple pages. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:This study has been approved by the National Research Ethics Service Committee South East Coast--Surrey. Our findings will be disseminated through academic peer-reviewed publications, conferences and discussion with peers.
| S-EPMC4735209 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMobile devices may facilitate depression screening in the waiting area of antenatal clinics. This can present implementation challenges, of which we focused on survey layout and technology deployment.MethodsWe assessed the feasibility of using tablet computers to administer a socio-demographic survey, the Whooley questions and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to 530 pregnant women attending National Health Service (NHS) antenatal clinics across England. We randomised participants to one of two layout versions of these surveys: (i) a scrolling layout where each survey was presented on a single screen; or (ii) a paging layout where only one question appeared on the screen at any given time.ResultsOverall, 85.10% of eligible pregnant women agreed to take part. Of these, 90.95% completed the study procedures. Approximately 23% of participants answered Yes to at least one Whooley question, and approximately 13% of them scored 10 points of more on the EPDS. We observed no association between survey layout and the responses given to the Whooley questions, the median EPDS scores, the number of participants at increased risk of self-harm, and the number of participants asking for technical assistance. However, we observed a difference in the number of participants at each EPDS scoring interval (p = 0.008), which provide an indication of a woman's risk of depression. A scrolling layout resulted in faster completion times (median = 4 min 46 s) than a paging layout (median = 5 min 33 s) (p = 0.024). However, the clinical significance of this difference (47.5 s) is yet to be determined.ConclusionsTablet computers can be used for depression screening in the waiting area of antenatal clinics. This requires the careful consideration of clinical workflows, and technology-related issues such as connectivity and security. An association between survey layout and EPDS scoring intervals needs to be explored further to determine if it corresponds to a survey layout effect. Future research needs to evaluate the effect of this type of antenatal depression screening on clinical outcomes and clinic workflows.Trial registrationThis study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT02516982 on 20 July 2015.
| S-EPMC5424386 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLearner benefits of tablet computer use have been demonstrated, yet there is little evidence regarding faculty tablet use for teaching.ObjectiveOur study sought to determine if supplying faculty with tablet computers and peer mentoring provided benefits to learners and faculty beyond that of non-tablet-based teaching modalities.MethodsWe provided faculty with tablet computers and three 2-hour peer-mentoring workshops on tablet-based teaching. Faculty used tablets to teach, in addition to their current, non-tablet-based methods. Presurveys, postsurveys, and monthly faculty surveys assessed feasibility, utilization, and comparisons to current modalities. Learner surveys assessed perceived effectiveness and comparisons to current modalities. All feedback received from open-ended questions was reviewed by the authors and organized into categories.ResultsOf 15 eligible faculty, 14 participated. Each participant attended at least 2 of the 3 workshops, with 10 to 12 participants at each workshop. All participants found the workshops useful, and reported that the new tablet-based teaching modality added value beyond that of current teaching methods. Respondents developed the following tablet-based outputs: presentations, photo galleries, evaluation tools, and online modules. Of the outputs, 60% were used in the ambulatory clinics, 33% in intensive care unit bedside teaching rounds, and 7% in inpatient medical unit bedside teaching rounds. Learners reported that common benefits of tablet computers were: improved access/convenience (41%), improved interactive learning (38%), and improved bedside teaching and patient care (13%). A common barrier faculty identified was inconsistent wireless access (14%), while no barriers were identified by the majority of learners.ConclusionsProviding faculty with tablet computers and having peer-mentoring workshops to discuss their use was feasible and added value.
| S-EPMC4512798 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Inadequate patient engagement in hospital care inhibits high-quality care and successful transitions to home. Tablet computers may provide opportunities to engage patients, particularly during inactive times between provider visits, tests, and treatments, by providing interactive health education modules as well as access to their personal health record (PHR). We conducted a pilot project to explore inpatient satisfaction with bedside tablets and barriers to usability. Additionally, we evaluated use of these devices to deliver 2 specific Web-based programs: (1) an interactive video to improve inpatient education about hospital safety, and (2) PHR access to promote inpatient engagement in discharge planning. We enrolled 30 patients; 17 (60%) were aged 40 years or older, 17 (60%) were women, 17 (60%) owned smartphones, and 6 (22%) owned tablet computers. Twenty-seven (90%) reported high overall satisfaction with the device, and 26 (87%) required ≤ 30 minutes for basic orientation (70% required ≤ 15 minutes). Twenty-five (83%) independently completed an interactive educational module on hospital patient safety. Twenty-one (70%) accessed their personal health record (PHR) to view their medication list, verify scheduled appointments, or send a message to their primary care physician. Next steps include education on high-risk medications, assessment of discharge barriers, and training clinical staff (such as respiratory therapists, registered nurses, or nurse practitioners) to deliver tablet interventions.
| S-EPMC4043916 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: We wanted to understand older adults' experiences of learning how to use a tablet computer in the context of an intervention trial, including what they found helpful or unhelpful about the tablet training, to guide future intervention studies. Methods: Mixed methods study using questionnaire and focus group approaches. Forty-three participants aged between 65 and 76 years old from the "Tablet for Healthy Ageing" study (comprising 22 in the intervention group and 21 controls) completed a post-intervention tablet experience questionnaire. Those who completed the tablet training intervention were invited to share their experiences of engaging with new technology in post-intervention focus groups. We conducted three separate focus groups with 14 healthy older adults (10 females). Results: Questionnaire data suggested that the overall experience of the 22 participants who participated in the tablet training intervention was positive. The majority of participants said that it was likely or very likely they would use a tablet in the future. The focus group themes that emerged were related to the perception of tablet training, the experience of using tablets, and suggestions for future studies. Participants mentioned that their confidence was increased, that they enjoyed being part of a social group and downloading applications, but they also felt challenged at times. Advantages of using tablets included the ability to keep in touch with family and friends, a motivation to contribute to the community, and the potential for tablets to improve mental abilities and overall health and wellbeing. Participants made suggestions that would enable tablet usage, including improvement of features, and suggestions that would improve future tablet training studies, including smaller classes. Conclusion: Our findings have implications for the development of interventions utilizing new technologies that might promote the health and wellbeing of older adults.
| S-EPMC6130193 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose of the studyRecent evidence shows that engaging in learning new skills improves episodic memory in older adults. In this study, older adults who were computer novices were trained to use a tablet computer and associated software applications. We hypothesize that sustained engagement in this mentally challenging training would yield a dual benefit of improved cognition and enhancement of everyday function by introducing useful skills.Design and methodsA total of 54 older adults (age 60-90) committed 15 hr/week for 3 months. Eighteen participants received extensive iPad training, learning a broad range of practical applications. The iPad group was compared with 2 separate controls: a Placebo group that engaged in passive tasks requiring little new learning; and a Social group that had regular social interaction, but no active skill acquisition. All participants completed the same cognitive battery pre- and post-engagement.ResultsCompared with both controls, the iPad group showed greater improvements in episodic memory and processing speed but did not differ in mental control or visuospatial processing.ImplicationsiPad training improved cognition relative to engaging in social or nonchallenging activities. Mastering relevant technological devices have the added advantage of providing older adults with technological skills useful in facilitating everyday activities (e.g., banking). This work informs the selection of targeted activities for future interventions and community programs.
| S-EPMC4873760 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundInadequate patient engagement in care is a major barrier to successful transitions from the inpatient setting and can lead to preventable adverse events after discharge, particularly for older adults. While older adults may be less familiar with mobile devices and applications, they may benefit from focused bedside training to engage them in using their Personal Health Record (PHR). Mobile technologies such as tablet computers can be used in the hospital to help bridge this gap in experience by teaching older, hospitalized patients to actively manage their medication list through their PHR during hospitalization and continue to use their PHR for other post-discharge tasks such as scheduling follow-up appointments, viewing test results, and communicating with providers. Bridging this gap is especially important for older, hospitalized adults as they are at higher risk than younger populations for low engagement in transitions of care and poor outcomes such as readmission. Greater understanding of the advantages and limitations of mobile devices for older adults may be important for improving transitions of care.ObjectiveTo better understand the effective use of mobile technologies to improve transitions in care for hospitalized, older adults and leverage these technologies to improve inpatient and postdischarge care for older adults.MethodsWe will compare an intervention group with tablet-based training to engage effectively with their PHR to a control group also receiving tablets and basic access to their PHR but no additional training on how to engage with their PHR.ResultsPatient enrollment is ongoing.ConclusionsThrough this grant, we will further develop our preliminary dataset and practical experience with these mobile technologies to catalyze patient engagement during hospitalization.ClinicaltrialClinicalTrials.gov NCT02109601; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02109601 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jpXjkwM8).
| S-EPMC5030452 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and purposePhysical therapists strive to integrate research into daily practice. The tablet computer is a potentially transformational tool for accessing information within the clinical practice environment. The purpose of this study was to measure and describe patterns of tablet computer use among physical therapy students during clinical rotation experiences.MethodsDoctor of physical therapy students (n = 13 users) tracked their use of tablet computers (iPad), loaded with commercially available apps, during 16 clinical experiences (6-16 weeks in duration).ResultsThe tablets were used on 70% of 691 clinic days, averaging 1.3 uses per day. Information seeking represented 48% of uses; 33% of those were foreground searches for research articles and syntheses and 66% were for background medical information. Other common uses included patient education (19%), medical record documentation (13%), and professional communication (9%). The most frequently used app was Safari, the preloaded web browser (representing 281 [36.5%] incidents of use). Users accessed 56 total apps to support clinical practice.Discussion and conclusionsPhysical therapy students successfully integrated use of a tablet computer into their clinical experiences including regular activities of information seeking. Our findings suggest that the tablet computer represents a potentially transformational tool for promoting knowledge translation in the clinical practice environment.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A127).
| S-EPMC4795099 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:To determine whether e/Tablets (wireless tablet computers used in community oncology clinics to collect review of systems information at point of care) are feasible, acceptable, and valid for collecting research-quality data in academic oncology. DATA/SETTING: Primary/Duke Breast Cancer Clinic. DESIGN:Pilot study enrolling sample of 66 breast cancer patients. METHODS:Data were collected using paper- and e/Tablet-based surveys: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT), Self-Efficacy; and two questionnaires: feasibility, satisfaction. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Patients supported e/Tablets as: easy to read (94 percent), easy to respond to (98 percent), comfortable weight (87 percent). Generally, electronic responses validly reflected responses provided by standard paper data collection on nearly all subscales tested. CONCLUSIONS:e/Tablets offer a valid, feasible, acceptable method for collecting research-quality, patient-reported outcomes data in outpatient academic oncology.
| S-EPMC2613994 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo assess the effect of tablet computers with a mobile patient portal application on hospitalized patients' knowledge and activation.MethodsWe developed a mobile patient portal application including pictures, names, and role descriptions of team members, scheduled tests and procedures, and a list of active medications. We evaluated the effect of the application using a controlled trial involving 2 similar units in a large teaching hospital. Patients on the intervention unit were offered use of tablet computers with the portal application during their hospitalization. We assessed patients' ability to correctly name their nurse, primary service physicians, physician roles, planned tests and procedures, medications started, and medications stopped since admission. We also administered the Short Form of the Patient Activation Measure.ResultsOverall, 100 intervention- and 102 control-unit patients participated. A higher percentage of intervention-unit patients correctly named ≥1 physician (56% vs 29.4%; P < .001) and ≥1 physician role (47% vs 15.7%; P < .001). Knowledge of nurses' names, planned tests, planned procedures, and medication changes was generally low and not significantly different between the study units. The Short Form of the Patient Activation Measure mean (SD) score was also not significantly different at 64.1 (13.4) vs 62.7 (12.8); P = .46.ConclusionsAdditional research is needed to identify optimal methods to engage and inform patients during their hospitalization, which will improve preparation for self- management after discharge.
| S-EPMC7814920 | biostudies-literature