INFORMATIONAL SUPPORT OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT: PRELIMINARY STUDY OF AN AUTOMATED APPROACH TO ANALYZE ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITY CONTENTS

Recognizing the need for analyzing large amounts of data in the study of online support communities, an automated content analysis method is introduced in this article. By adopting machine learning techniques and tools, this method requires minimal manual intervention while capable of analyzing large amounts of data automatically. Through this method, contents of messages from online support communities spanning over years are categorized as either informational support or emotional support. A case study on the analysis of online breast cancer and prostate cancer message boards is presented to demonstrate that the proposed method generates results comparable to results concluded from traditional manual qualitative content analysis methods

Prevalence and determinants of osteoporosis in women aged 40-60 years

Background: Osteoporosis is a global problem which is affecting both the developed and the developing countries and also affecting men and women alike. In our community, it has been affecting adult women at a considerably earlier age than the western counterparts. Increasing life expectancy and a consequent increase in the elderly population has posed a new challenge to their health needs. Fractures related to osteoporosis are quite common. It is also an established fact that bone density measurements correlate well to the risk of developing fracture. This can be measured using DEXA (Dual energy X Ray Absorptiometry) and Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS). It is estimated that 1 out of 8 males and 1 out of 3 females suffer from this, making India one of the highest affected counties in the world.Methods: This was a cross sectional study done over a period of 12 months at this tertiary care centre in Trivandrum, Kerala. A sample size was calculated statistically and 400 women in this age group were included in this study. A structured proforma and QUS were the study tools. The bone mineral density of the calcaneum on the right foot was measured.  The t-score values were obtained using quantitative ultrasound and individuals with the score values less than -2.5 were categorized as osteoporotic.Results: In this hospital, prevalence of osteoporosis is 17.25 % and findings suggest a significant positive correlation between age, time since menopause, sunlight exposure, family history of osteoporosis and Bone mineral density.Conclusions: Quantitative ultrasound conclusively confirms or rules out osteoporosis or osteopenia in any population and can be used as a screening tool

Online Public Health Preparedness Training Programs: An Evaluation of User Experience with the Technological Environment

OBJECTIVES: Several public health education programs and government agencies across the country have started offering virtual or online training programs in emergency preparedness for people who are likely to be involved in managing or responding to different types of emergency situations such as natural disasters, epidemics, bioterrorism, etc. While such online training programs are more convenient and cost-effective than traditional classroom-based programs, their success depends to a great extent on the underlying technological environment. Specifically, in an online technological environment, different types of user experiences come in to play—users’ utilitarian or pragmatic experience, their fun or hedonic experience, their social experience, and most importantly, their usability experience—and these different user experiences critically shape the program outcomes, including course completion rates. This study adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and draws on theories in human computer interaction, distance learning theories, usability research, and online consumer behavior to evaluate users’ experience with the technological environment of an online emergency preparedness training program and discusses its implications for the design of effective online training programs. . METHODS: Data was collected using a questionnaire from 377 subjects who had registered for and participated in online public health preparedness training courses offered by a large public university in the Northeast. RESULTS: Analysis of the data indicates that as predicted, participants had higher levels of pragmatic and usability experiences compared to their hedonic and sociability experiences. Results also indicate that people who experienced higher levels of pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences were more likely to complete the course(s) they registered for compared to those who reported lower levels. DISCUSSION: The study findings hold important implications for the design of effective online emergency preparedness training targeted at diverse audiences including the general public, health care and public health professionals, and emergency responders. Strategies for improving participants’ pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences are outlined. CONCLUSION: There are ample opportunities to improve the pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences of the target audience. This is critical to improve the participants’ learning and retention as well as the completion rates for the courses offered. Online emergency preparedness programs are likely to play a crucial role in preparing emergency responders at all levels in the future and their success has critical implications for public health informatics

Online Public Health Preparedness Training Programs: An Evaluation of User Experience with the Technological Environment

Objectives: Several public health education programs and government agencies across the country have started offering virtual or online training programs in emergency preparedness for people who are likely to be involved in managing or responding to different types of emergency situations such as natural disasters, epidemics, bioterrorism, etc. While such online training programs are more convenient and cost-effective than traditional classroom-based programs, their success depends to a great extent on the underlying technological environment. Specifically, in an online technological environment, different types of user experiences come in to play—users’ utilitarian or pragmatic experience, their fun or hedonic experience, their social experience, and most importantly, their usability experience—and these different user experiences critically shape the program outcomes, including course completion rates. This study adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and draws on theories in human computer interaction, distance learning theories, usability research, and online consumer behavior to evaluate users’ experience with the technological environment of an onlinel emergency preparedness training program and discusses its implications for the design of effective online training programs. . Methods: Data was collected using a questionnaire from 377 subjects who had registered for and participated in online public health preparedness training courses offered by a large public university in the Northeast. Results: Analysis of the data indicates that as predicted, participants had higher levels of pragmatic and usability experiences compared to their hedonic and sociability experiences. Results also indicate that people who experienced higher levels of pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences were more likely to complete the course(s) they registered for compared to those who reported lower levels. Discussion: The study findings hold important implications for the design of effective online emergency preparedness training targeted at diverse audiences including the general public, health care and public health professionals, and emergency responders. Strategies for improving participants’ pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences are outlined. Conclusion: There are ample opportunities to improve the pragmatic, hedonic, sociability and usability experiences of the target audience. This is critical to improve the participants’ learning and retention as well as the completion rates for the courses offered. Online emergency preparedness programs are likely to play a crucial role in preparing emergency responders at all levels in the future and their success has critical implications for public health informatics

Feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for the aging with Developmental Disabilities (DD): An exploratory study

Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving. The discussions include limitations of using quantitative methods in this type of setting.Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving

Managing customer experiences in online product communities

Many companies have established online product communities or forums as a vehicle to extend product support services to their customers. Customers' interactions in such online forums with peer customers and vendor representatives resolve their product-related queries as well as inform on their product purchase decisions. Despite the significance of such interactions, there has been limited theoretical attention so far on how companies can manage customer experiences in online product communities. Drawing on theories and concepts from diverse areas including computer-mediated communication, consumer psychology, and online communities, this study proposes a four dimensional construct - Online Community Experience (OCE) - to capture customer experiences in such online product communities, and examines its impact on customer attitudes regarding the product, the company, and the quality of service. Data collected from customers in online product forums offered by four companies is used to test the study hypotheses. Implications for research on online consumer behavior and marketing are discussed.Customer experiences Online product communities Pragmatic experience Hedonic experience Usability experience Sociability experience

Feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for the aging with Developmental Disabilities (DD): An exploratory study

Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving. The discussions include limitations of using quantitative methods in this type of setting.Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving

Understanding electronic medical record adoption in the United States : communication and sociocultural perspectives

Background: This paper adopts a communication and sociocultural perspective to analyze the factors behind the lag in electronic medical record (EMR) adoption in the United States. Much of the extant research on this topic has emphasized economic factors, particularly, lack of economic incentives, as the primary cause of the delay in EMR adoption. This prompted the Health Information Technology on Economic and Clinical Health Act that allow financial incentives through the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services for many health care organizations planning to adopt EMR. However, financial incentives alone have not solved the problem; many new innovations do not diffuse even when offered for free. Thus, this paper underlines the need to consider communication and sociocultural factors to develop a better understanding of the impediments of EMR adoption. Objective: The objective of this paper was to develop a holistic understanding of EMR adoption by identifying and analyzing the impact of communication and sociocultural factors that operate at 3 levels: macro (environmental), meso (organizational), and micro (individual). Methods: We use the systems approach to focus on the 3 levels (macro, meso, and micro) and developed propositions at each level drawing on the communication and sociocultural perspectives. Results: Our analysis resulted in 10 propositions that connect communication and sociocultural aspects with EMR adoption. Conclusions: This paper brings perspectives from the social sciences that have largely been missing in the extant literature of health information technology (HIT) adoption. In doing so, it implies how communication and sociocultural factors may complement (and in some instances, reinforce) the impact of economic factors on HIT adoption.12 page(s

Nursing Home Factors and Their Impact on COVID-19 Cases: A Study of Wisconsin State

COVID-19 has been devastating for Nursing Homes (NHs). The concentration of older adults with underlying chronic conditions inevitably made the setting highly vulnerable leading to high rates of mortality for residents. However, some nursing homes fared better than others. This study examines several quality measures and organizational factors to understand whether these factors are associated with COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. We combined three datasets from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – the Star Rating dataset, Provider Information dataset and COVID-19 Nursing Home dataset. Data used is from the period of Jan 1 – Oct 25, 2020 for the state of Wisconsin. The analysis includes 331 free-standing NHs with no missing values from the data sets. The variables used were self-reported information on nursing home ratings, staff shortage, staff reported hours, occupancy rate, number of beds and ownership. Of the 331 NHs examined, shortages were reported of 25.4%, 31.1%, 3.2% and 15.6% of licensed nurse staff (25.4%), nurse aides (31.1%), clinical staff, (3.2%) and other staff (15.6%) Additionally, there was a significant (p\u3c.05) positive correlation between number of beds and COVID-19 cases, and there was no statistically significant association between occupancy rate and COVID-19 cases. NHs with better star ratings were also found to have less COVID-19 cases. Interestingly, private NHs had significantly higher COVID-19 cases than for-profit and government owned NHs, a finding that is congruent with other studies in this area. Recommendations for practice will be discussed