Evaluating Unity created teaching simulations within occupational therapy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the evaluation of an educational occupational therapy home visit simulation newly built in Unity, compared with a previously created simulation based in the Open Sim platform. The evaluation is based on students’ preferences. Design/methodology/approach – A simulation was built in Unity in which the academic content was identical to the previous Open Sim-based simulation. Student groups used the simulations then completed a questionnaire. Numerical data and descriptive comments were analysed. Findings – Students preferred the simulation built in Unity to the Open Sim simulation. Improvements with the Unity simulation include; reduced time to gain competence to use, ease of use and fewer negative physiological experiences. The small percentage of students experiencing motion sickness is an ongoing concern and warrants further investigation. The Unity simulation may also be useful as an academic assessment tool. Research limitations/implications – Findings are limited by short time usage of the simulations in 3D virtual worlds with confined spaces and no requirement for in-world group interaction, and by some methodological limitations including the research being based within a single higher education institution, and with a profession-specific group of students. Originality/value – This paper highlights student preference for using a purpose built simulation created with Unity over a simulation built in Open Sim, showing where best to spend future development time and funding. Similar comparison research is scarce. Keywords Stroke, Second Life, Higher education, Occupational therapy, Academic assessment, Unity Paper type Research paperN/

Virtual rehabilitation: what are the practical barriers for home-based research?

Virtual reality technologies are becoming increasingly accessible and affordable to deliver, and consequently the interest in applying virtual reality within rehabilitation is growing. This has resulted in the emergence of research exploring the utility of virtual reality and interactive video gaming interventions for home use by patients. The aim of this paper is to highlight the practical factors and difficulties that may be encountered in research in this area, and to make recommendations for addressing these. Whilst this paper focuses on examples drawn mainly from stroke rehabilitation research, many of the issues raised are relevant to other conditions where virtual reality approaches have the potential to be applied to home-based rehabilitation

Virtually home: Exploring the potential of virtual reality to support patient discharge after stroke

Introduction: The level of assessment and intervention received by patients prior to discharge varies widely across stroke services in the United Kingdom. This study aimed to explore the potential value of virtual reality in preparing patients for discharge following stroke. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 occupational therapists, eight patients with a stroke and four community stroke survivors. Views were sought of the perceived acceptability, potential utility and limitations of a ‘virtual home’ environment for use in pre-discharge education and assessment. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: Interviewees found the virtual home to be an acceptable and visual means of facilitating discussions about discharge. It was perceived as valuable in assessing patient insight into safety risks and exploring the implications of installing assistive equipment at home. Limitations were identified relating to specific software issues and the use of virtual reality with patients with cognitive or perceptual impairments. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the potential utility of the virtual home within stroke rehabilitation. Patients and therapists engaged with the virtual home and, moreover, made practical suggestions for future development. Feasibility and pilot testing in a clinical setting is required to compare the use of the virtual home with traditional approaches of pre-discharge assessment.Stroke Association (ref: TSA SRTF 2013/01) and Nottingham Hospitals Charity and NUH Department of Research and Development – Pump Priming Awar

Virtually home: feasibility study and pilot randomised controlled trial of a virtual reality intervention to support patient discharge after stroke

Introduction: Virtual reality has the potential to assist occupational therapists in preparing patients for discharge by facilitating discussions and providing education about relevant practical issues and safety concerns. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of using a virtual reality intervention to support patient discharge after stroke and pilot its use. Method: Practical aspects of delivering a virtual reality intervention prior to discharge were explored by means of a non-randomised feasibility study and a subsequent pilot randomised controlled trial. Factors considered included eligibility, recruitment, intervention delivery, attrition and suitability of outcome measures. Outcome measures included standardised assessments of stroke severity, mobility, health-related quality of life, functional ability, satisfaction with services and concerns about falling. Results: Thirty-three participants were recruited in total: 17 to the feasibility study and 16 to the pilot trial. At 1-month follow-up, 14 participants (82%) were re-assessed in the feasibility study and 12 (75%) in the pilot trial. The main difficulties encountered related to recruitment, particularly regarding post-stroke cognitive impairments, the presence of mild deficits or illness. Conclusion: It was feasible to recruit and retain participants, deliver the intervention and collect outcome measures, despite slow recruitment rates. These findings could inform the design of a definitive trial

Patients' use of a home-based virtual reality system to provide rehabilitation of the upper limb following stroke

Background: A low cost, virtual reality system that translates movements of the hand, fingers and thumb into game play was designed to provide a flexible and motivating approach to increasing adherence to home based rehabilitation. Objective: Effectiveness depends on adherence, so did patients use the intervention to the recommended level. If not, what reasons did they give? Design: Prospective cohort study plus qualitative analysis of interviews. Methods: 17 patients recovering from stroke recruited to the intervention arm of a feasibility trial had the equipment left in their homes for eight weeks and were advised to use it three times a day for periods of no more than 20 minutes. Frequency and duration of use were automatically recorded. At the end of the intervention, participants were interviewed to determine barriers to using it in the recommended way. Results: Duration of use and how many days they used the equipment are presented for the 13 participants who successfully started the intervention. These figures were highly variable and could fall far short of our recommendations. There was a weak (p=0.053) positive correlation between duration and baseline reported activities of daily living. Participants reported familiarity with technology and competing commitments as barriers to use although appreciated the flexibility of the intervention and found it motivating

Aggressive stereotype activation & the moderating role of personality : cognitive, social & behavioural effects

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Working late: strategies to enhance productive and healthy environments for the older workforce

It is predicted that by 2025 there will be twice as many workers aged 50 and over than those aged 25 years and younger in the EU (Ilmarinen, 2001). Demographic changes, together with changes in pension policy, life expectancy and employment practices, are contributing to the increasing age of our workforce. Consequently, improved older worker integration and employment outcomes look set to be the key means through which economies can adjust to the pressures of an ageing population (Banks, 2006). The ageing workforce presents new challenges not only for government, occupational health services, and employers, but also for employees and their families. [Continues...

Demands, control, supportive relationships and well-being amongst British mental health workers

Purpose: Staff well-being is considered to be a potential problem within mental health occupations, and its variability is in need of investigation. Our starting point is to assess the role of demands, control and supportive relationships that are at the core of Karasek’s model. The study aims to assess the relationship amongst mental health workers of job demands, control and support (from peers and superiors) with multiple measures of well-being. Method: Data were obtained through a self-completion questionnaire from mental health staff in 100 inpatient wards, 18 crisis resolution/home treatment teams and 18 community mental health teams. The data was analysed using multilevel regression analysis. Results: Job demands (negatively), control (positively) and supportive relationships (positively) are each uniquely associated with the five measures of well-being included in the study: namely intrinsic satisfaction, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment. Non-linear and interaction effects involving these demands, control and supportive relationships are found, but vary in type and strength across well-being measures. Conclusions: The combination of low levels of demands and high levels of control and supportive relationships is good for the well-being of mental health staff. Our results suggest that management initiatives in mental health services should be targeted at creating this combination within the working environment, and particularly at increasing levels of job control