iPad use in stroke neuro-rehabilitation

Neuro-rehabilitation services are essential in reducing post-stroke impairments, enhancing independence, and improving recovery in hospital and post-discharge. However these services are therapist-dependent and resource intensive. Patients’ disengagement and boredom in stroke units are common which adversely affect functional and psychological outcomes. Novel techniques such as use of iPads™ are increasingly researched to overcome such challenges. The aim of this review is to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, acceptability, and barriers to the use of iPads™ in stroke neuro-rehabilitation. Four databases and manual literature search were used to identify published studies using the terms “iPad”, “Stroke”, and “neuro-rehabilitation”. Studies were included in accordance with the review selection criteria. A total of 16 articles were included in the review. The majority of the studies focused on iPads use in speech and language therapy. Although of small scale, the studies highlighted that iPads are feasible, have the potential to improve rehabilitation outcomes, and can improve patient’s social isolation. Patients’ stroke severity and financial limitations are some of the barriers highlighted in this review. This review presents preliminary data supportive for the use of iPad technology in stroke neuro-rehabilitation. However, further research is needed to determine impact on rehabilitation goals acquisition, clinical efficacy, and cost-efficiency

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

Technologies for Development: From Innovation to Social Impact

Development Engineering; Technologies for Development; Innovation for Humanitarian Action; Emerging Countries; Developing Countries; Tech4De

Mapping and analysis of the current self- and co- regulatory framework of commercial communication aimed at minors

As the advertising sector has been very active in self-regulating commercial communication aimed at children, a patchwork of different rules and instruments exist, drafted by different self-regulatory organisations at international, European and national level. In order to determine the scope and contents of these rules, and hence, the actual level of protection of children, a structured mapping of these rules is needed. As such, this report aims to provide an overview of different categories of Alternative Regulatory Instruments(ARIs,such as self- and co-regulation regarding (new) advertising formats aimed at children. This report complements the first legal AdLit research report, which provided an overview of the legislative provisions in this domain.status: publishe

Examining the Design and Usability of Telemedicine Communications: A Mixed-methods Study

This dissertation describes a mixed-methods study that examines the usability of telemedicine provider interfaces. This study consisted of content analysis, survey, and think aloud methodologies, which afford a multifaceted corpus of data for which to draw inferences and identify design features and functions that negatively impact usability. Usability is a critical component of the user experience with a telemedicine provider interface and can suede or impede the acceptance and adoption of telemedicine. Telemedicine has the potential to increase quality healthcare access and positive health outcomes for individuals who use it, and usability is a key component of technology acceptance and effective use. Empirical testing of health information technology (HIT) and telemedicine is advocated for as it is the most valuable method of research to understand humans\u27 cognitive processing of information as they interact with technology. In addition, using activity theory and mobile interface theory as a lens in which to understand human activities and interaction with telemedicine provider interfaces, including the telemedicine provider websites and their mobile-responsive websites in this study, is an effective tool for drawing reasonable inferences regarding the usability of telemedicine communications. Considering the rate at which an unprecedented amount of health information becomes available online and HIT facilitates the delivery of healthcare, usability testing and user-centered, iterative design practices become increasingly essential in order to design effective—and safe—health information and technology that enhance the patient-experience, the affordability and accessibility of healthcare, health literacy and patient empowerment, and positive health outcomes. Usability testing plays an increasingly important role in characterizing obstacles to achieving these initiatives of the modern patient-centered health paradigm and telemedicine. The mixed-methods usability testing performed in this study offers a principled approach to usability testing and is ecologically valid because it involves real human subjects. This study fulfills a void in research on the usability of telemedicine communications and reveals usability problems that may not be anticipated by designers of HIT and health information providers. Drawing from the insight gained from this mixed-method study, design features and functions that enhance the usability of health communications are offered. This study draws insight from the human factors, technical communication, and health and medical fields to develop systematic, practical usability testing methods that can be replicated and applied in many fields. The design recommendations resulting from this study will be valuable to programmers; systems analysts; clinicians and nurses; technical communicators; information architects; visual designers; and others in similar roles

Older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices

This thesis describes research which explores the importance and feasibility of involving older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices for an ageing population. In exploring this topic, I have carried out two preliminary studies, a pilot study and a major empirical study. Firstly, I invited three groups of people, including very old people, active older people and postgraduate students, to evaluate a mock-­‐up model of an interactive device intended for older people that was designed using a standard design process. The results of this study suggested that products without an adequate contribution from older people would not always meet their needs. Secondly, I carried out observations of very old people, active older people, and young designers to identify factors that influence the way in which both older people and young designers can be involved in the creative design process. These factors included experiences with technology, processes and approaches currently applied with older people and designers, factors that stimulate or inhibit creativity, and practical constraints such as health issues. The results of these observations fed into the design of a pilot study, where I tested the content of a creative design process and a procedure for analysing data for the main empirical study. The main study involved three creative workshops where the same creative methods were employed with different sets of people: young designers, mixed groups (with older people and designers) and older people only. The results show that older people are able to participate in a creative design process; however, certain practical constraints have to be taken into account. Also, older people perform better when they work together with designers. Finally, the mixed groups with older people, who have relevant life experiences, and designers, who are familiar with the newest technology, may be more suitable for designing appropriate products for the older population