The Weight of User Decision Making During Online Interactions - Planning an Experiment

This paper lays out the design of a research study, using eye tracking technology, to measure participant cognitive load when encountering decision constructs during webpage interactions. It elaborates and improves on a pilot study that was used to test the experiment design. Cognitive load is discussed in detail, in both physiological and subjective terms, as well as techniques to capture participants’ thoughts and feelings immediately after the experiment. This mixed method approach will generate a more holistic comprehension of participants’ decision making and their rationale; and hopefully, improve information systems design ethics

Technostress Research: A Nurturing Ground for Measurement Pluralism?

Because technostress research is multidisciplinary in nature and, therefore, benefits from insights gained from various research disciplines, we expected a high degree of measurement pluralism in technostress studies published in the information systems (IS) literature. However, because IS research mostly relies on self-report measures in general, reasons exist to also assume that technostress research has largely neglected multi-method research designs. To assess the status quo of technostress research with respect to the application of multi-method approaches, we analyzed 103 empirical studies. Specifically, we analyzed the types of data-collection methods used and the investigated components of the technostress process (person, environment, stressors, strains, and coping). The results indicate that multi-method research is more prevalent in the IS technostress literature (approximately 37% of reviewed studies) than in the general IS literature (approximately 20% as reported in previous reviews). However, our findings also show that IS technostress studies significantly rely on self-report measures. We argue that technostress research constitutes a nurturing ground for the application of multi-method approaches and multidisciplinary collaboration

Development of a Machine Learning Based Algorithm To Accurately Detect Schizophrenia based on One-minute EEG Recordings

While diagnosing schizophrenia by physicians based on patients' history and their overall mental health is inaccurate, we report on promising results using a novel, fast and reliable machine learning approach based on electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. We show that a fine granular division of EEG spectra in combination with the Random Forest classifier allows a distinction to be made between paranoid schizophrenic (ICD-10 F20.0) and non-schizophrenic persons with a very good balanced accuracy of 96.77 percent. We evaluate our approach on EEG data from an open neurological and psychiatric repository containing 499 one-minute recordings of n=28 participants (14 paranoid schizophrenic and 14 healthy controls). Since the fact that neither diagnostic tests nor biomarkers are available yet to diagnose paranoid schizophrenia, our approach paves the way to a quick and reliable diagnosis with a high accuracy. Furthermore, interesting insights about the most predictive subbands were gained by analyzing the electroencephalographic spectrum up to 100 Hz

Online information seeking: a review of the literature in the health domain

The development of the information technology and Internet has been transforming the healthcare industry. The internet is continuously accessed to seek for health information and there are variety of sources, including search engines, health websites, and social networking sites. Providing more and better information on health may empower individuals, however, ensuring a high quality and trusted health information could pose a challenge. Moreover, there is an ever-increasing amount of information available, but they are not necessarily accurate and up to date. Thus, this paper aims to provide an insight of the models and frameworks related to online health information seeking of consumers. It begins by exploring the definition of information behavior and information seeking to provide a better understanding of the concept of information seeking. In this study, critical factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence will be studied in relation to the value of seeking health information. It also aims to analyze the effect of age, gender, and health status as the moderator on the factors that influence online health information seeking, i.e. trust and information quality. A preliminary survey will be carried out among the health professionals to clarify the research problems which exist in the real world, at the same time producing a conceptual framework. A final survey will be distributed to five states of Malaysia, to solicit the feedback on the framework. Data will be analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS 3.0 analysis tools. It is hoped that at the end of this study, a novel framework that can improve online health information seeking is developed. Finally, this paper concludes with some suggestions on the models and frameworks that could improve online health information seeking

Understanding the Use of Online Health Information Technology by People With and Without Visual Disabilities

The Internet has become a platform that many users, governments, corporations, and other organizations hope to leverage in order to support a dynamic and effective physician-patient partnership. However, many researchers have identified significant shortcomings with the current online health information domain. This research examined the use of online health information technology (HIT) by individuals with and without visual disabilities. Two studies were conducted to understand online health information searching behaviors of individuals with and without disabilities. The impact of providing relevant search keywords to participants, and the impact of stress appraisals upon health information search behavior and HIT website usage were the primary constructs evaluated. The first study examined the impact of the provision of focused keywords on participant health-related search performance. It was hypothesized that in trials where keywords were provided, there would be improved search accuracy, efficiency, and quality of responses. In addition, it was hypothesized that when people appraised the task as a challenge compared to threat, they would have improved search accuracy, efficiency, and quality of responses. The first study utilized a repeated measure design with randomization of treatment conditions for keyword provision (provided or not) for four distinct health-information related search tasks. The findings revealed that the provision of keywords and stressor appraisals influence participant performance of health-related, online search tasks. Challenged individuals who receive keywords, and threatened individuals who do not receive keywords demonstrate what is typically considered to be more effective online search performance. The second study examined the unique health-related search behaviors employed by individuals with visual disabilities using screen reader software. The findings revealed that there are substantial improvements in web design and online health information architecture that can be implemented to improve the user experience, accessibility, and comprehensibility of this critical data source for individuals that use screen readers. The results of both studies show that users typically demonstrate fairly shallow searches (selecting information from the first page of search results), lean toward a single search engine (Google.com), and are able to find reasonably accurate health information. However, for participants with visual disabilities, there remain several obstacles to effective health information website selection and navigation due to poor labeling of images, hyperlinks, and page arrangement, and conflicts between embedded code and screen reader software

Understanding the Use of Online Health Information Technology by People With and Without Visual Disabilities

The Internet has become a platform that many users, governments, corporations, and other organizations hope to leverage in order to support a dynamic and effective physician-patient partnership. However, many researchers have identified significant shortcomings with the current online health information domain. This research examined the use of online health information technology (HIT) by individuals with and without visual disabilities. Two studies were conducted to understand online health information searching behaviors of individuals with and without disabilities. The impact of providing relevant search keywords to participants, and the impact of stress appraisals upon health information search behavior and HIT website usage were the primary constructs evaluated. The first study examined the impact of the provision of focused keywords on participant health-related search performance. It was hypothesized that in trials where keywords were provided, there would be improved search accuracy, efficiency, and quality of responses. In addition, it was hypothesized that when people appraised the task as a challenge compared to threat, they would have improved search accuracy, efficiency, and quality of responses. The first study utilized a repeated measure design with randomization of treatment conditions for keyword provision (provided or not) for four distinct health-information related search tasks. The findings revealed that the provision of keywords and stressor appraisals influence participant performance of health-related, online search tasks. Challenged individuals who receive keywords, and threatened individuals who do not receive keywords demonstrate what is typically considered to be more effective online search performance. The second study examined the unique health-related search behaviors employed by individuals with visual disabilities using screen reader software. The findings revealed that there are substantial improvements in web design and online health information architecture that can be implemented to improve the user experience, accessibility, and comprehensibility of this critical data source for individuals that use screen readers. The results of both studies show that users typically demonstrate fairly shallow searches (selecting information from the first page of search results), lean toward a single search engine (Google.com), and are able to find reasonably accurate health information. However, for participants with visual disabilities, there remain several obstacles to effective health information website selection and navigation due to poor labeling of images, hyperlinks, and page arrangement, and conflicts between embedded code and screen reader software

Where can teens find health information? A survey of web portals designed for teen health information seekers

The Web is an important source for health information for most teens with access to the Web (Gray et al, 2005a; Kaiser, 2001). While teens are likely to turn to the Web for health information, research has indicated that their skills in locating, evaluating and using health information are weak (Hansen et al, 2003; Skinner et al, 2003, Gray et al, 2005b). This behaviour suggests that the targeted approach to finding health information that is offered by web portals would be useful to teens. A web portal is the entry point for information on the Web. It is the front end, and often the filter, that users must pass through in order to link to actual content. Unlike general search engines such as Google, content that is linked to a portal has usually been pre-selected and even created by the organization that hosts the portal, assuring some level of quality control. The underlying architecture of the portal is structured and thus offers an organized approach to exploring a specific health topic. This paper reports on an environmental scan of the Web, the purpose of which was to identify and describe portals to general health information, in English and French, designed specifically for teens. It answers two key questions. First of all, what portals exist? And secondly, what are their characteristics? The portals were analyzed through the lens of four attributes: Usability, interactivity, reliability and findability. Usability is a term that incorporates concepts of navigation, layout and design, clarity of concept and purpose, underlying architecture, in-site assistance and, for web content with text, readability. Interactivity relates to the type of interactions and level of engagement required by the user to access health information on a portal. Interaction can come in the form of a game, a quiz, a creative experience, or a communication tool such as an instant messaging board, a forum or blog. Reliability reflects the traditional values of accuracy, currency, credibility and bias, and in the web-based world, durabililty. Findability is simply the ease with which a portal can be discovered by a searcher using the search engine that is most commonly associated with the Web by young people - Google - and using terms related to teen health. Findability is an important consideration since the majority of teens begin their search for health information using search engines (CIBER, 2008; Hansen et al, 2003). The content linked to by the portals was not evaluated, nor was the portals’ efficacy as a health intervention. Teens looking for health information on the Web in English have a wide range of choices available but French-language portals are much rarer and harder to find. A majority of the portals found and reviewed originated from hospitals, associations specializing in a particular disease, and governmental agencies, suggesting that portals for teens on health related topics are generally reliable. However, only a handful of the portals reviewed were easy to find, suggesting that valuable resources for teens remain buried in the Web

Health initiatives to target obesity in surface transport industries: review and implications for action

Lifestyle-related chronic diseases pose a considerable burden to the individual and the wider society, with correspondingly negative effects on industry. Obesity is a particular problem for the Australasian road and rail industries where it is associated with specific cardiac and fatigue-related safety risks, and levels are higher than those found in the general population. Despite this recognition, and the introduction of National Standards, very little consensus exists regarding approaches to preventative health for surface transport workers. A review of evidence regarding effective health promotion initiatives is urgently needed to inform best practice in this cohort. This review draws together research informing the scope and effectiveness of health promotion programs, initiatives and interventions targeting overweight and obesity in safety critical surface transport domains including the truck, bus and rail industries. A number of health interventions demonstrated measurable successes, including incentivising, peer mentoring, verbal counselling, development of personalised health profiles, and offer of healthier on-site food choices – some of which also resulted in sizeable return on investment over the long term. &nbsp

Design Strategy for Integrated Personal Health Records: Improving the User Experience of Digital Healthcare and Wellbeing

This dissertation addresses the timely problem of designing Integrated Personal Health Records (PHR). The goal is to provide citizens with digital user experiences, sustainable and flexible enough, for gaining control over their personal health information in a seamless way. Most importantly, so that people are able to reflect and act upon their selfknowledge, towards the accomplishment of their good health and wellbeing. Towards this end, the Integrated PHR as an emerging model in the field of Health IT, was the framework that set this research forward on exploring how communication and collaboration between patients and providers can be improved, which naturally impacts the field of HCI. Acknowledging that today patients are the ones who own all that is recorded about their health data, this new model was object of a design strategy that shaped the results presented in this dissertation. These have showed how patients can have more control of their health over time, through a patient-centered, organic system, which has the ability of combining multiple sources of data both from patient and provider side. As this new type of PHR fosters the creation of integrated networks, this milestone was achieved in this research by interacting with cross-channel user experiences that took part of nationwide healthcare ecosystems. The work presented herein, has demonstrated through the analysis and development of two use cases in cooperation with organizations connected to the Portuguese Ministry of Health, how an Integrated PHR can be a powerful personal tool, to be used by the citizen with undeniable value to the demands of an aging society. The use cases structured the thesis into two parts. The first part in collaboration with the Portuguese National Patient Portal, combines an Integrated PHR and incorporates the Portuguese Data Sharing Platform (PDS), which can be used by any Portuguese citizen. This use case study led to a proposal of the portal by also creating a foundational model for designing Integrated PHRs. The second part in collaboration with the Portuguese National Senior Telehealth Program (Saúde 24 Sénior), led to another proposal for an Integrated PHR, applying the outcomes from Part 1 and the requirements that derived from the findings explored in this second use case study. The proposed solution, has the potential to be used by the Portuguese senior community in the scope of home assistive care. Both proposals applied a user experience design methodology and included the development of two prototypes. The engagement of the stakeholders during the two case studies was accomplished with participatory design methods and followed a multidisciplinary approach to create solutions that would meet the human, politics and behavior interdependencies that were inherent to the process of working with large healthcare organizations. The provided contributions from this thesis intent to be part of a transition process that is changing the behavior of the healthcare sector, which is increasingly moving towards the improvement of the patient-provider relationship, patient engagement, collaborative care and positive computing, where digital technologies play a key role

Addressing Interprofessional Competence in Interpretation of Electronic Fetal Monitor Tracings

Interpretation of electronic fetal monitor (EFM) tracings is a critical clinical practice skill nurses and physicians perform during the intrapartum stage of pregnancy. However, if performed inaccurately can potentially jeopardize the well-being of the neonate. This risk is present because if concerning EFM tracings are not interpreted accurately, preventative care interventions to promote the well-being of the unborn child do not occur. The project was initiated by completing a scoping literature review on the methods for training and evaluating EFM interpretation competence, which revealed current EFM interpretation training and evaluation methods are lacking. A concept analysis defined nurse competence in diagnostic healthcare technologies. The analysis included examining surrogate terms, related concepts, attributes, antecedents, and consequences. This dissertation evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a Simulation-Based Mastery Learning intervention on clinical interprofessional team members’ EFM interpretation competence and self-efficacy compared to clinical experience alone. In addition, it determined how participants’ characteristics affect baseline EFM interpretation scores. The study was a randomized longitudinal design with participants recruited from a convenience sample of interprofessional healthcare team members from a large research hospital in the southeastern United States. Randomization procedures placed recruited participants into either an intervention or clinical experience alone group, with competence evaluations for both groups occurring at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and three months post-intervention. Once completed, add results and conclusion here