FITtogether: an 'average' activity tracker

In this paper we discuss an app we have implemented for iOS and Android called FITtogether. The app counts users’ steps and enables them to compare these with the average steps of all other users. We have trialed the app over a two week period in the wild on users’ own devices. Our findings suggest that comparison with an average leads to users feeling that they are successful if they are above average, and that by making a personal step count available to others only as part of an average does not lead to anonymity and identity concern

Evaluating the impact of physical activity apps and wearables: interdisciplinary review

Background: Although many smartphone apps and wearables have been designed to improve physical activity, their rapidly evolving nature and complexity present challenges for evaluating their impact. Traditional methodologies, such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs), can be slow. To keep pace with rapid technological development, evaluations of mobile health technologies must be efficient. Rapid alternative research designs have been proposed, and efficient in-app data collection methods, including in-device sensors and device-generated logs, are available. Along with effectiveness, it is important to measure engagement (ie, users’ interaction and usage behavior) and acceptability (ie, users’ subjective perceptions and experiences) to help explain how and why apps and wearables work. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) explore the extent to which evaluations of physical activity apps and wearables: employ rapid research designs; assess engagement, acceptability, as well as effectiveness; use efficient data collection methods; and (2) describe which dimensions of engagement and acceptability are assessed. Method: An interdisciplinary scoping review using 8 databases from health and computing sciences. Included studies measured physical activity, and evaluated physical activity apps or wearables that provided sensor-based feedback. Results were analyzed using descriptive numerical summaries, chi-square testing, and qualitative thematic analysis. Results: A total of 1829 abstracts were screened, and 858 articles read in full. Of 111 included studies, 61 (55.0%) were published between 2015 and 2017. Most (55.0%, 61/111) were RCTs, and only 2 studies (1.8%) used rapid research designs: 1 single-case design and 1 multiphase optimization strategy. Other research designs included 23 (22.5%) repeated measures designs, 11 (9.9%) nonrandomized group designs, 10 (9.0%) case studies, and 4 (3.6%) observational studies. Less than one-third of the studies (32.0%, 35/111) investigated effectiveness, engagement, and acceptability together. To measure physical activity, most studies (90.1%, 101/111) employed sensors (either in-device [67.6%, 75/111] or external [23.4%, 26/111]). RCTs were more likely to employ external sensors (accelerometers: P=.005). Studies that assessed engagement (52.3%, 58/111) mostly used device-generated logs (91%, 53/58) to measure the frequency, depth, and length of engagement. Studies that assessed acceptability (57.7%, 64/111) most often used questionnaires (64%, 42/64) and/or qualitative methods (53%, 34/64) to explore appreciation, perceived effectiveness and usefulness, satisfaction, intention to continue use, and social acceptability. Some studies (14.4%, 16/111) assessed dimensions more closely related to usability (ie, burden of sensor wear and use, interface complexity, and perceived technical performance). Conclusions: The rapid increase of research into the impact of physical activity apps and wearables means that evaluation guidelines are urgently needed to promote efficiency through the use of rapid research designs, in-device sensors and user-logs to assess effectiveness, engagement, and acceptability. Screening articles was time-consuming because reporting across health and computing sciences lacked standardization. Reporting guidelines are therefore needed to facilitate the synthesis of evidence across disciplines

Les taux de chômage canadien et américain dans les années 1980 : un test de trois hypothèses

La courbe de Phillips keynésienne stipule qu’en l’absence de perturbations inflationnistes défavorables la croissance des salaires nominaux ralentit lorsque le taux de chômage excède son niveau naturel. Pourtant, depuis 1984, bien que le taux de chômage moyen ait été très élevé, les augmentations de salaire n’ont pas ralenti au Canada. Trois explications possibles de ce paradoxe sont envisagées : une augmentation sensible du taux de chômage naturel, la non-linéarité de la courbe de Phillips, et un effet d’hystérésis sur le chômage.Le niveau moyen élevé du chômage depuis 1982 permet difficilement de trancher entre l’hypothèse de non-linéarité de la courbe de Phillips et celle d’une augmentation du taux de chômage naturel. Néanmoins, l’analyse des données canadiennes antérieures à 1982, ainsi que de l’expérience américaine, permettent de favoriser plutôt l’hypothèse de non-linéarité. Dans cette optique, et la courbe de Phillips, et le taux de chômage naturel (des hommes de 25 ans et plus) sont demeurés stables au Canada. Enfin, l’hypothèse d’hystérésis ne reçoit aucune confirmation.L’analyse indique également qu’au Canada la courbe de Phillips possède une pente beaucoup plus prononcée et qu’elle est beaucoup moins inertielle "backward-looking" qu’aux États-Unis. L’ampleur plus grande du chômage au Canada qu’aux États-Unis depuis 1982 trouve donc son explication dans le fait que des chocs inflationnistes plus défavorables chez nous ont complètement noyé notre avantage d’une courbe de Phillips plus escarpée et moins inertielle.In the absence of adverse price shocks, the neo-Keynesian Phillips curve states that wage settlements will be falling whenever unemployment exceeds its natural level. Yet Canadian wage settlements have been stable since 1984 despite very high levels of unemployment. Three possible explanations are investigated: a large increase in the natural unemployment rate, a non-linear Phillips curve, and "hysteresis".Given the unprecedented increase in unemployment since 1982, it is not easy to distinguish between a non-linear Phillips curve and a rise in the natural unemployment rate. However, both pre-1982 evidence and U.S. experience point to a non-linear specification. Moreover, given this specification, the results indicate that both the Canadian Phillips curve and Canada's natural unemployment rate (for adult males) have remained stable over time. There is no support for hysteresis.The results also indicate that the Canadian Phillips curve is much steeper and much less inertial (or "backward-looking") than that of the United States. The fact that Canada has nevertheless had higher unemployment than the United States since 1982 is explained by the finding that the unfavourable effects of worse shocks outweighed the favourable effects of a steeper and less inertial Phillips curve

Australian mandatory retirement challenged

During the 1970s Australia experienced declines in participation rates of older workers similar to the USA. However, in Australia it has taken more than 10 years to enact the same policy changes in age discrimination in employment. In order to promote a considered internationalism, as opposed to a parochial resistance to international ideas, this paper consid er s two qu e stions about the case of mandatory retirement, namely "Why did Australia ta ke so long to change?" and "What has been learned from the North Ame rican expe ri ence? " On the first question, it is argued that Australians are begi nning to mo ve only slowly from a European view of retirement as leisure in "old age" to wa rd s m o re active notions in No rth Ame rica and As ia . Elites in government are responding to a growi ng political consciousness among t he aged who a re seeking a new deal in rights of access to wo~k. On the second question it is argued tha t the North American experience leads us to soften claims about age d iscrimi nation and to be less optimistic about major improvements in older work er's p artici p ation arising from legislation outlawing age discrimination. This evidence can reduce the contentiousness of the issue in Australia and allow focus on the more p ractical issues of how to make the legislation work to protect the rights of older people

Policy Implications of Australian Ageing: The Greying of a Young Society

Australian population ageing is moderate by Western country standards but there are major issues emerging in national policy debates. The proportions 65+ will double and the proportions 85+ will more than quadruple by 2050. The first concern is the long-term trend to earlier retirement from work along with a nearly universal dependency on publicly funded age pensions rather than on private savings and superannuation. New mandatory superannuation guarantee scheme will ease some of the financial pressure from income dependency. Secondly heart, musculoskeletal, cancers, mental illness and digestive diseases are high cost conditions but musculoskeletal and mental conditions are a higher cost for women than for men. About two thirds of health expenditures are spent on the tenth of the population 65+ which indicates an issue of control of health costs through appropriate servicing. Third severe handicap rates reported in national surveys have stabilised over time to cover the last 3 or 4 years of life. Over two thirds of the remaining years of life at age 65 are currently spent free of handicap. Aged care services have shifted in focus from intensive options like nursing homes to less intensive options like hostel care and home and community care. There is about a two thirds risk of ever entering a nursing home or hostel at age 65. Consequently long-term care financing is one of the most urgent issues in Australian aged care policy