1,136 research outputs found

    mHealth Technology: Towards a New Persuasive Mobile Application for Caregivers That Addresses Motivation and Usability

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    With the increasing use of mobile technologies and smartphones, new methods of promoting personal health have been developed. For example, there is now software for recording and tracking one\u27s exercise activity or blood pressure. Even though there are already many of these services, the mobile health field still presents many opportunities for new research. One apparent area of need would be software to support the efforts of caregivers for the elderly, especially those who suffer from multiple chronic conditions, such as cognitive impairment, chronic heart failure or diabetes. Very few mobile applications (apps) have been created that target caregivers of the elderly and most seem to be limited to a single condition or to creating generic to-do lists or tracking medications. None seem to address the complex tracking of multiple chronic conditions, nor one of the key difficulties found with written checklists for this population, namely that caregivers quit recording health information regularly as time passes. This dissertation will explore methods for improving the consistency of usage of health tracking software for the caregivers of the elderly with multiple chronic conditions by creating designs that explicitly address the context and motivations of caregivers. This work will assess a number of existing approaches and provide a design and a prototype for a new motivating application to help the caregivers of patients with multiple chronic conditions. It will assess how well the tool seems to address factors associated with intrinsic motivation (e.g. autonomy, competence, relatedness, and feedback). The overall usability of the software application will also be addressed, following guidelines from ISO standards and Nielsen’s theories

    Usability evaluation of a mobile health application by older adults in Thailand

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    As the world’s population is aging, research on older adults and their use of IT is becoming more important. Usability issues were found one of the main problems hindering older adults from using IT, including mobile health application. This study aims to understand older adults’ behavior and to identify barriers and enablers for using a mobile health application, called Raksa. Two theories, namely Usability and Accessibility were adopted as a conceptual framework. A think-aloud protocol, a system usability scale (SUS), and in-depth interviews were utilized. ISO 9241-11 guide was used for identifying usability performance level of Raksa application based on think-aloud approach. Task incompletion rate, error rate and time on task were calculated to assess effectiveness and efficiency. Interviews were conducted for validating reason of use and comment on the application design, using Nielsen’s 5 quality components namely, Learnability, Efficiency, Memorability, Error and Satisfaction. The results showed that the task to find a medical specialist for a consultation was deemed the most difficult by the participants as it has the lowest task completed rates and the longest times on task. The task to create account and register had the most errors. The average satisfaction (SUS score) was 31.50, indicating poor system usability. Demographic data showed males were more successful in task completion. Educational level were related to task performance, and older adults with more experienced in information technology or social media achieved higher performance rate. This research identified usability problems and barriers that may affect usability in older adults, including visual design, poor interaction and navigation, user interface difficulty to understanding. Recommendations for design modifications were offered

    Online Group-exercises for Older Adults of Different Physical Abilities

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    In this paper we describe the design and validation of a virtual fitness environment aiming at keeping older adults physically and socially active. We target particularly older adults who are socially more isolated, physically less active, and with less chances of training in a gym. The virtual fitness environment, namely Gymcentral, was designed to enable and motivate older adults to follow personalised exercises from home, with a (heterogeneous) group of remote friends and under the remote supervision of a Coach. We take the training activity as an opportunity to create social interactions, by complementing training features with social instruments. Finally, we report on the feasibility and effectiveness of the virtual environment, as well as its effects on the usage and social interactions, from an intervention study in Trento, Ital

    Enhancing home health mobile phone app usability through general smartphone training: usability and learnability case study.

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    peer-reviewedEach year, millions of older adults fall, with more than 1 out of 4 older people experiencing a fall annually, thereby causing a major social and economic impact. Falling once doubles oneâ s chances of falling again, making fall prediction an important aspect of preventative strategies. In this study, 22 older adults aged between 65 and 85 years were trained in the use of a smartphone-based fall prediction system. The system is designed to continuously assess fall risk by measuring various gait and balance parameters using a smart insole and smartphone, and is also designed to detect falls. The use case of the fall prediction system in question required the users to interact with the smartphone via an app for device syncing, data uploads, and checking system status. The objective of this study was to observe the effect that basic smartphone training could have on the user experience of a group that is not technically proficient with smartphones when using a new connected health system. It was expected that even short rudimentary training could have a large effect on user experience and therefore increase the chances of the group accepting the new technology. All participants received training on how to use the system smartphone app; half of the participants (training group) also received extra training on how to use basic functions of the smartphone, such as making calls and sending text messages, whereas the other half did not receive this extra training (no extra training group). Comparison of training group and no extra training group was carried out using metrics such as satisfaction rating, time taken to complete tasks, cues required to complete tasks, and errors made during tasks. The training group fared better in the first 3 days of using the system. There were significant recorded differences in number of cues required and errors committed between the two groups. By the fourth and fifth day of use, both groups were performing at the same level when using the system. Supplementary basic smartphone training may be critical in trials where a smartphone appâ based system for health intervention purposes is being introduced to a population that is not proficient with technology. This training could prevent early technology rejection and increase the engagement of older participants and their overall user experience with the system.PUBLISHEDpeer-reviewe

    Survey improving usability of the smartphones for elders

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    The focal point of this study is the usability of smartphones for elderly individuals. Notably, Android dominates the current smartphone market share at 72.72%. This prevalence is influenced by various factors, including affordability, a diverse array of manufacturers, and a multitude of options for users to choose from. The satisfaction of most Android users is underscored, and even in cases of dissatisfaction, the platform offers ample opportunities for easy customization of devices. The challenge lies in the reluctance of elderly individuals to embrace the latest technological trends, including social media platforms. It is evident that the elderly exhibit hesitancy in adopting new technologies such as smartphones and their features. This hesitation is attributed to a need for a user experience that is clearer and more understandable, especially when compared to younger users. Elderly individuals often find it challenging to independently navigate essential smartphone features, necessitating assistance from family members or friends who possess a better understanding of the device. This extends to basic tasks such as making calls, sending texts, setting up new devices, and various other functionalities. In this research, an effort is made to understand this barrier with the study of both user experiences and user interface design elements (text size, font, color, etc.) of Smartphones that affect the elderly population. Launchers have been made to overcome this problem but the aim of this research is to find the gap and analyze its solution. The research finds that the gap is because of the android operating system user experience & interface design, since android is developed and managed by google. The research shows how the operating system OS can be improved and make the elder user needs. The primary emphasis of this research is directed towards enhancing the comprehensive experience and interface across the entire operating system. Google's decision to make Android open-source, known as the Android Open-Source Project (AOSP), allows global developers to contribute improvements without the need for special licenses. The proposed idea within this research aims to elevate the AOSP to align with the distinct experience and design expectations of elderly users. This research details the customization of AOSP, resulting in a tailored version of the operating system that incorporates features such as a modified keyboard, audible feedback for actions, enhanced text and control elements, a simplified drag-and-drop experience, redesigned icons, and adjustments to the unlocking and welcome screens that will improves user experience and user interface for elders

    Designing socially acceptable mHealth technologies for Parkinson's disease self-management

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    Mobile health (mHealth) technologies for Parkinson’s disease management have developed quickly in recent years. Research in this area typically focuses on evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the technology, often to the exclusion of social factors and patient perspectives. This qualitative systematic review aimed to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of use mHealth technologies for disease self-management from the perspective of People with Parkinson's (PwP). Findings revealed that technological, as well as social, and financial factors are key considerations for mHealth design, to ensure its acceptability, and long-term use by PwP. This study proposes that a co-design approach could contribute to the design and development of mHealth that are socially acceptable to PwP, and enable their successful long-term use in the context of daily life.Mobile health (mHealth) technologies for Parkinson’s disease management have developed quickly in recent years. Research in this area typically focuses on evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the technology, often to the exclusion of social factors and patient perspectives. This qualitative systematic review aimed to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of use mHealth technologies for disease self-management from the perspective of People with Parkinson's (PwP). Findings revealed that technological, as well as social, and financial factors are key considerations for mHealth design, to ensure its acceptability, and long-term use by PwP. This study proposes that a co-design approach could contribute to the design and development of mHealth that are socially acceptable to PwP, and enable their successful long-term use in the context of daily life

    A novel smart somatosensory wearable assistive device for older adults’ home rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic

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    BackgroundDue to the Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) related social distancing measures and health service suspension, physical activity has declined, leading to increased falling risk and disability, and consequently, compromising the older adult health. How to improve the quality of older adult life has become a crucial social issue.ObjectiveIn traditional rehabilitation, manual and repetitive muscle training cannot identify the patient’s rehabilitation effect, and increasing the willingness to use it is not easy. Therefore, based on the usability perspective, this study aims to develop a novel smart somatosensory wearable assistive device (called SSWAD) combined with wireless surface electromyography (sEMG) and exergame software and hardware technology. The older adult can do knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion, and ankle plantar flexion rehabilitation exercises at home. Meanwhile, sEMG values can be digitally recorded to assist physicians (or professionals) in judgment, treatment, or diagnosis.MethodsTo explore whether the novel SSWAD could improve the older adult willingness to use and motivation for home rehabilitation, 25 frail older adult (12 males and 13 females with an average age of 69.3) perform the rehabilitation program with the SSWAD, followed by completing the system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire and the semi-structured interview for the quantitative and qualitative analyses. In addition, we further investigate whether the factor of gender or prior rehabilitation experience would affect the home rehabilitation willingness or not.ResultsAccording to the overall SUS score, the novel SSWAD has good overall usability performance (77.70), meaning that the SSWAD makes older adult feel interested and improves their willingness for continuous rehabilitation at home. In addition, the individual item scores of SUS are shown that female older adult with prior rehabilitation experience perform better in “Learnability” (t = 2.35, p = 0.03) and “Confidence” (t = −3.24, p = 0.01). On the contrary, male older adult without rehabilitation experience are more willing to adopt new technologies (t = −2.73, p = 0.02), and perform better in “Learnability” (t = 2.18, p = 0.04) and “Confidence” (t = −3.75, p < 0.001) with the SSWAD. In addition, the result of the semi-structured interview shows that the operation of the SSWAD is highly flexible, thus reducing older adult burden during the rehabilitation exercise and using them long-term.ConclusionThis novel SSWAD receives consistently positive feedback regardless of the gender or prior rehabilitation experience of elders. The SSWAD could be used as a novel way of home rehabilitation for elders, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adult can do rehabilitation exercises at home, and physicians could make proper judgments or adjust suitable treatments online according to the sEMG data, which older adult can know their rehabilitation progress at the same time. Most importantly, older adult do not have to go to the hospital every time for rehabilitation, which significantly reduces time and the risk of infection

    Exploring an Existing Weight Management App for Use With Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida: Usability Study

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    Background: Adolescents and young adults with spina bifida (AYA-SBs) have unique user needs, given their variable and complex symptom profile. Owing to multiple barriers to prevention and intervention treatments for secondary conditions (eg, obesity), AYA-SBs may benefit from the use of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). However, as BITs are often designed and tested with typically developing individuals, it is unclear if existing BITs may be usable for AYA-SBs. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the usability of a high-quality, publicly available, weight management–focused mobile BIT (smartphone app) for AYA-SBs. Methods: Overall, 28 AYA-SBs attending a Young Men’s Christian Association–based summer camp completed 4 structured usability tasks using a weight management app designed for the general public called My Diet Coach (Bending Spoons). Learnability was measured by (1) time to complete task, (2) number of user errors, and (3) correct entry of data when requested by the app. Satisfaction and general usability were measured via self-reported questionnaires and qualitative feedback following interactions with the app. Results: The majority of the sample were able to complete the tasks, with increased completion rates and improved times on second attempts of the tasks (Ps Conclusions: AYA-SBs were able to learn how to complete specific tasks independently on a weight management app, but design changes consistent with previously proposed user needs were recommended. Rather than designing entirely new BITs, it may be possible to adapt existing technologies to personalize BITs for specific populations such as AYA-SBs

    Effective Use of User Interface and User Experience in an mHealth Application

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    The effect of user interface (UI) design decisions on system usability has been discussed in information system literature. These discussions evolved into investigating the effectiveness of UI and how it affects a system user’s performance, as well as his or her perception of the system as a whole. This paper investigates the role of UI design on facilitating effective use in the context of mobile applications. Based on the Effective Use Theory, we test four different UIs developed for frequent data input tasks in a mobile platform using a controlled experiment and a follow-up survey. Our findings indicate that UI design in terms of touch technique (tap vs. slide) and target direction (vertical vs. horizontal) has a significant impact on the task completion time, as well as the app UIs’ perceived usability and likability. We discuss both theoretical and empirical implications of the results and suggest future research directions
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