Dataset Information

Use of Information and Communications Technology in Family Services and Its Perceived Benefits amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong-Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project.

ABSTRACT: We examined information and communications technology (ICT) use in family services and its perceived benefits and barriers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. We invited all family service social workers of 12 NGOs to complete an anonymous online questionnaire in May 2020 (Part A) and a management representative from each NGO to provide written feedback on ICT use in January 2021 (Part B). In Part A, of 255 respondents (response rate: 67.3%), perceived ICT use in conducting programmes, groups, casework and preventive family programmes showed net increases of 33.9-54.5%; perceived ICT use in different work processes showed net increases of 18.8-48.6%. The three most common perceived benefits were "providing another option to service users" (74.2%), "more convenient service" (60.2%) and "maintaining normal service" (59.7%). In Part B, 12 management representatives consistently reported positive impacts of ICT use on family services. They shared actionable strategies (e.g., ICT skill-related training) and concerns about data privacy and management. ICT use in family services markedly increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. It helped make the services more accessible especially when the pandemic restricted face-to-face services.

SUBMITTER: Ho HP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9740009 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Use of Information and Communications Technology in Family Services and Its Perceived Benefits amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong-Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project.

Ho Hilary Pui-Yee HP Lai Agnes Yuen-Kwan AY Kwok Ricky Yu-Kwong RY Kwok Tai-On TO Chow Edward E Yip Teresa T Tang Wai-Yan WY Leung Kam-Wing KW Lam Eliza E Lam Kam-Yin KY Tsui Terry Shuk-Yin TS Lok Wai-Fong WF Yam Pui-Wah PW Wong Shuk-Fong SF Wong Chiu-Man CM Cham Kerin Kwok-Wing KK Wong Bonny Yee-Man BY Ho Sai-Yin SY Wang Man-Ping MP Lam Tai-Hing TH

International journal of environmental research and public health 20221124 23

<h4>Introduction</h4>We examined information and communications technology (ICT) use in family services and its perceived benefits and barriers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong.<h4>Methods</h4>We invited all family service social workers of 12 NGOs to complete an anonymous online questionnaire in May 2020 (Part A) and a management representative from each NGO to provide written feedback on ICT use in January 2021 (Part B).<h4>Results</h4>In Part A, of 255 respondents (response rate: 67.3% ...[more]

PMID: 36497706

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Project description:Background: Information communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly used in health promotion, but integration is challenging and involves complex processes. Large community health promotion events are often held but the experiences and processes have rarely been evaluated and published. No reports have described and systematically evaluated an ICT-supported health promotion event using digital games. Objective: We evaluated the development and implementation of a large community family health promotion event with ICT integration to promote family happiness with collaboration between academia (The University of Hong Kong) and the social (family) service sector, and collected feedback from participants and social service workers. Methods: We (i) conducted a systematic process evaluation, (ii) administered an on-site questionnaire survey on participant satisfaction and feedback, and (iii) collected post-event qualitative feedback from social workers on using new technologies, digital game design and overall experiences. Results: Fourteen digital games were designed and run in booths at the event by 12 non-governmental social service organizations and academia. Four gaming technologies were utilized: chroma key (green screen), somatosensory (kinect and leap motion techniques), augmented reality and virtual reality. 1,365 participants joined the event, in which 1,257 from 454 families were recruited and pre-registered through 12 NGOs. About 39.3% were male and more than half (53.3%) were aged 18 years and above. About 3,487 game booth headcounts were recorded. Games using virtual reality, kinect motion and green screen technologies were most liked. The average game satisfaction score was high (4.5 out of 5). Social service workers reported positive experiences with using new technologies in health promotion, and interests in future collaborations involving more ICT. Conclusions: Our systematic evaluation showed successful integration of ICT components in the health promotion event. This event, most likely the first of its kind, served as a capacity building and knowledge transfer platform for interdisciplinary co-sharing and co-learning of new technologies. It provided a solid foundation for further academic and social service partnerships and should be a useful model for similar community events and their evaluation. Further development and integration of ICT for health promotion among social service organizations with comprehensive evaluation are warranted.

Project description:BackgroundInformation and communication technology (ICT) use may enhance social work practice and continuous professional development. Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project, we developed an innovative web-based training, learning, and sharing platform (i-TLS) to support not only ICT and other learning needs of Hong Kong social workers but also their practice.ObjectiveWe developed i-TLS with 3 major components (i-Training, i-Learning, and i-Sharing) and assessed its acceptability and impact on facilitating ICT use in family services.MethodsWe described the i-TLS development based on a 4-phase model and evaluated i-TLS using the platform database, Google Analytics, a self-administered survey, and individual phone interviews 1 year after launching.Resultsi-TLS was launched in 12 nongovernmental organizations on July 1, 2019. The COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019 limited face-to-face services, which galvanized digital transformation in social work practice. By July 31, 2020, 313 social workers had registered with i-TLS. Approximately 79.6% (249/313) of users accessed i-TLS at least once in the past 28 days, averaging 3.2 (SD 1.35) platform visits per day and viewing 4.8 (SD 1.42) pages per visit. i-Training provided 41 mini-modules on applying ICT to family services, with 730 enrollments. Approximately 70% (511/730) of users completed the mini-modules and obtained digital mini-certificates. i-Learning provided 112 items of learning resources centered on ICT use in family services, with nearly 4000 page views. i-Sharing had 25 discussion threads with 59 posts. Approximately 53.7% (168/313) of users completed the 1-year evaluation survey, including 7.1% (12/168) who were phone interviewed. The mean i-TLS satisfaction score (out of 10) increased from light (4.99, SD 1.54) to occasional (6.15, SD 1.34) and frequent (6.31, SD 2.29) users. Frequent users showed higher scores (out of 10) than light users for an increase in knowledge (5.84, SD 1.34 vs 4.09, SD 1.74; P<.001), self-efficacy (5.23, SD 1.92 vs 3.96, SD 1.77; P=.02), and knowledge application (6.46, SD 1.33 vs 1.91, SD 1.40; P<.001). Interviewees reported increased ICT use in services and considered i-TLS an acceptable and supportive tool for learning and practice, especially during the pandemic.Conclusionsi-TLS is acceptable to social workers and enhances their learning and use of ICT in family services. This was achieved through access to self-directed and collaborative learning and sharing of experiences within their practice. Further research on enhancing web-based platforms is needed to expand participation and capacity building among social workers and other health and social care professionals.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Postgraduate vocational training in family medicine (FM) is essential for physicians to build capacity and develop quality primary care. Inadequate standards in training and curriculum development can contribute to poor recruitment and retention of doctors in primary care. This study aimed to investigate: 1) the satisfaction level of doctors regarding vocational training in family medicine and associated demographics; and 2) the satisfaction level of doctors regarding their family medicine career and associated factors. METHOD:This is a cross sectional study of all family medicine physicians across all government-funded primary care clinics (GOPCs). The study questionnaire consisted of items from a standardized and validated physician survey named the Physician Worklife Survey (PWS) (Konrad et al., Med Care, 1999). We selected three scales (7 items) relating to global job satisfaction, global career satisfaction and global specialty (family medicine) satisfaction with additional items on training and demographics. All significant variables in bivariate analyses were further examined using stepwise logistic regression. RESULTS:Out of 424 eligible family medicine physicians, 368 physicians successfully completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 86.8%. Most participants were male (52.6%), were aged between 35 and 44 years (55.5%), were FM specialists (42.4%), graduated locally (86.2%), and had postgraduate qualifications. Eighty-two percent (82%) of participants were satisfied with their training. Having autonomy and protected time for training were associated with satisfaction with FM training. Satisfaction with family medicine as a career was correlated with physicians' satisfaction with their current job. Doctors who did not enroll in training (p < 0.001) and physicians who were older (p = 0.023) were significantly less satisfied. Stepwise multivariate regression showed that doctors who subjectively believed their training as "broad and in depth' had higher career satisfaction (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION:Overall, the satisfaction level of physicians on current family medicine training in Hong Kong was high. Having autonomy and protected time for training is associated with higher training satisfaction levels. Perceiving FM training as "broad and in-depth" is associated with higher family medicine career satisfaction.

Dataset Information

Use of Information and Communications Technology in Family Services and Its Perceived Benefits amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong-Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project.

Publications

Use of Information and Communications Technology in Family Services and Its Perceived Benefits amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong-Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project.

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