16Up: Outline of a Study Investigating Wellbeing and Information and Communication Technology Use in Adolescent Twins

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 345-357
Author(s):  
Brittany L. Mitchell ◽  
Katherine M. Kirk ◽  
Kerrie McAloney ◽  
Margaret J. Wright ◽  
Tracey A. Davenport ◽  
...  

AbstractThe ‘16Up’ study conducted at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute from January 2014 to December 2018 aimed to examine the physical and mental health of young Australian twins aged 16−18 years (N = 876; 371 twin pairs and 18 triplet sets). Measurements included online questionnaires covering physical and mental health as well as information and communication technology (ICT) use, actigraphy, sleep diaries and hair samples to determine cortisol concentrations. Study participants generally rated themselves as being in good physical (79%) and mental (73%) health and reported lower rates of psychological distress and exposure to alcohol, tobacco products or other substances than previously reported for this age group in the Australian population. Daily or near-daily online activity was almost universal among study participants, with no differences noted between males and females in terms of frequency or duration of internet access. Patterns of ICT use in this sample indicated that the respondents were more likely to use online information sources for researching physical health issues than for mental health or substance use issues, and that they generally reported partial levels of satisfaction with the mental health information they found online. This suggests that internet-based mental health resources can be readily accessed by adolescent Australians, and their computer literacy augurs well for future access to online health resources. In combination with other data collected as part of the ongoing Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study, the 16Up project provides a valuable resource for the longitudinal investigation of genetic and environmental contributions to phenotypic variation in a variety of human traits.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Holderried ◽  
Ansgar Hoeper ◽  
Friederike Holderried ◽  
Nils Heyne ◽  
Silvio Nadalin ◽  
...  

AbstractSituations like the COVID-19 pandemic urgently require the implementation of eHealth for vulnerable patient populations. Here we quantitatively evaluate use and potential of modern information and communication technology (ICT) in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We conducted a structured, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study that was addressed to patients after kidney, liver, pancreas, or combined transplantation. We focused on: sociodemographic data, present use of digital technologies in daily life and for health reasons, patients’ eHealth literacy, and their overall attitude towards eHealth. A total of 234 patients completed the questionnaire. Most of the patients (90%) have a web-enabled computer, 78.2% have a smartphone, and 71.8% regularly search the internet for health-related information. Sixty-eight percent would like to receive discharge summaries online, and 54% would like to chat online with their physicians. Even though ICT use in daily life was age-related, no significant difference could be shown for health reasons or the type of transplanted organ. Modern ICT use is predominantly accepted for health reasons by SOT recipients. Regardless of the transplanted organ, a deeper integration of eHealth has potential for improving cross-sectoral care. To successfully implement eHealth technologies in cross-sectoral care future research should include online physician–patient communication, data security, data safety, and the aspects of quality and safety of care.


Author(s):  
Anna Kurek ◽  
Paul E. Jose ◽  
Jaimee Stuart

Over the course of the last seven years, the average weekly screen-time of youth has dramatically increased. The present study was designed to better understand how young people utilise multiple types of information and communication technology (ICT) in their everyday lives and how these preferences may be associated with key aspects of their development. To this end, the present study was designed to explore whether specific profiles of technology usage would be associated with key characteristics of identity and behaviour. To identify groups of adolescents who share similar technology use habits, a sample of 933 adolescents reported on their time spent interacting with various digital communication devices and associated platforms. Utilizing a latent profile analysis, four distinct profiles of technology use preferences emerged. Then, a series of linear regressions were calculated to investigate the degree to which class membership predicted indicators of identity and problem behaviours. The findings suggest that important concepts of both identity and behaviour are associated with individual ICT usage preferences. Acknowledging the cross-sectional nature of the data, it is suggested that the impact of clusters of communication technology use on adolescent development should be investigated with longitudinal data.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 653-654
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Ji Yeon Lee ◽  
Bora Kim

Abstract Although many persons living with dementia still remain living in the community, they encounter many difficulties due to cognitive and physical impairment. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) could be helpful to protect persons living with dementia from risky events and monitor changes in physical function. This study aimed to review studies regarding ICT usage to monitor physical activity and safety in community-dwelling persons living with dementia. We searched quantitative studies that utilized ICT to monitor physical activity and safety published from 2011 to 2020 through five databases; 24 studies were included in the systematic review. Most studies (79%) were observational studies and conducted in North America or Europe (75%). In terms of ICT usage, the most frequently used type was a wearable device (96%); data such as physical activity, gait, and circadian rhythms were gathered. The ICT data were utilized for: 1) comparing ICT data within dementia group or with normal cognition group; 2) exploring a relationship with other variables in observational studies; 3) measuring an outcome of the experimental studies; and 4) determining feasibility of a sensor itself. Less than half of the studies met all five criteria in quality assessment. We found the ICT is being used in various ways in research for community-dwelling persons living with dementia. However, we are uncertain about the effectiveness of ICT use and the quality of studies. Future studies with rigorous study design are needed to provide better evidence for ICT use in persons living with dementia.


Author(s):  
Akinwumi Olajumoke ◽  
◽  
Babalola Yemisi ◽  
Alegbeleye Gabriel ◽  
◽  
...  

This study investigated information and communication technology use on effective administration of senior secondary schools. It evaluated the extent of use of the various ICT devices and their influence on the administration of secondary schools. To guide the study, one research question and one hypothesis were tested. The design used for the study was survey design and the population comprised the school administrators involved in the running of the schools on a daily basis and these were the principals, vice- principals and heads of the various subjects’ departments in the public senior schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. The instrument for data collection was a 19-item questionnaire while means and t-test statistics were used for data analysis. Findings from the study showed ICT use has a significant positive influence on the effective administrations of public senior secondary schools in Lagos state. Additionally, the study found that the level of ICT use for administrative purposes in public senior secondary schools in Lagos State was moderate. The ICT devices highly utilized were photocopiers and mobile telephones. While printer, computer systems, social media, e-mails services, internet, and scanners were moderately utilized. However, ICT devices like projectors and smart boards were rarely utilized. The study recommends the provision of the necessary ICT equipment and infrastructure in an enabling physical and psychological technological environment for effective public secondary school administration.


Author(s):  
Patrícia Arriaga ◽  
Francisco Esteves ◽  
Sara Fernandes

Of the many of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products, electronic games are considered as having great potential for improving health and social outcomes. This chapter considers the factors that may be involved in facilitating health and social outcomes and also those factors that might be considered risk factors by reviewing studies that have shown both positive and detrimental effects on people’s physical and mental health. The authors also debate some research questions that remain unanswered and suggest guidelines for practitioners, researchers, and game designers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toru Honda ◽  
Toru Nakagawa ◽  
Yuya Watanabe ◽  
Takeshi Hayashi ◽  
Tadashi Nakano ◽  
...  

AbstractThe use of Information and Communication Technology devices (ICT) has spread globally; therefore, increasing exposure to these display devices is an important health issue in the workplace. The association between ocular axial length (AL) elongation and ICT use was investigated among 7334 middle-aged Japanese male workers. Detailed ICT use information was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The high AL group was defined as the group with AL above the 75th percentile for each 5-year age interval. Logistic analysis showed that the odds ratio (OR) for the high AL group of >8 hours/day, adjusted for potent confounding factors, was significantly elevated relative to <1 hour/day. Notably, there was a strong association in the older groups (OR = 6.60, 95% CI = 3.92–11.12), based on work-related uses: word processing, sending e-mails, preparation of presentation materials, and browsing websites. In addition, among workers with extended ICT use for these work-related purposes, a significant lateral difference was observed in AL. However, these associations were not observed for private use, such as playing games. The results of our prospective cross-sectional study show that increased time spent on work-related ICT uses was associated with AL elongation, particularly in older workers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevan Lamm ◽  
Alexa Lamm ◽  
Kristin Davis ◽  
Jyothi Swaroop ◽  
Leslie Edgar

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has the potential to address critical considerations within rural advisory service (RAS) networks, specifically, getting the right information to audiences in a timely and appropriate manner. ICTs are technologies that facilitate knowledge and information sharing. For RAS networks, ICTs can be an important tool to ensure that both explicit and tacit information is shared with network members with the anticipated benefit of increased capacity of the network. Although the importance of ICTs are well documented within the literature, there are limited guidelines for what specific network capacities in ICT use are needed to better provide support for RAS providers to fulfill their responsibilities. Using the Delphi process, a panel of 31 experts from 24 countries arrived at consensus on 51 specific ICT use capacities associated with effective RAS networks. The results of the research provide a practical framework for RAS providers and networks to develop ICT use related capacity building and tactical planning activities. Keywords: Information Communication Technology (ICT); ICT use; Delphi; evaluation; capacity assessment


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-99
Author(s):  
Kabita Khadka

Teaching and learning in the 21st century has been embedded with technology. Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plays a crucial role in ameliorating knowledge acquisition in general and enhancing English Language mastering in particular. The government of Nepal has made provision of integrating ICTs in school education to enhance quality education and make both teachers and learners confident and competitive in the present global world. The teachers are the real implementers of the policy into practice. In this context, this research intends to investigate secondary level English teachers’ skill and motivation in using ICTs while teaching the English language. This is a qualitative study that uses a phenomenological approach to obtain information according to Denzin (2019) in which the participants in the study included eight schools and 16 teachers at different schools in Nepal. They were selected purposefully since selecting the best participant ensures the intended information (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The telephonic interview was conducted and open-ended questions were administered electronically and all necessary directions were provided to them so that they could respond to those questions. The findings imply that teachers should be given opportunities for training on ICT use for building up their skill, motivation, knowledge and confidence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Pilabré Arzouma Hermann ◽  
Ngangue Patrice ◽  
Bationo Nestor ◽  
Barro Abibata ◽  
Pafadnam Yacouba ◽  
...  

Introduction and objective: Studies on the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) use in nursing and obstetric learning in low- and middle-income countries are limited despite growing scientific evidence that online learning has positive effects. This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize the effects of information and communication technologies utilization in nursing and obstetric learning in low- and middle-income countries.Methods: A search of articles published from 2016 to 2020 on the effects of ICT use in nursing and obstetric learning was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Epistemonikos and ERIC.Results: Of 483 articles identified, eleven were reviewed, and eight were found to be relevant. The included articles were synthesized into a narrative synthesis. The effects of using ICT in learning are related to student motivation, autonomy in learning, meaningful acquisition of knowledge and skills. Furthermore, students have a positive perception of the use of ICT in learning.Conclusions: The results of this study on the use of ICTs in nursing and obstetric sciences learning in low- and middle-income countries show that ICTs are used primarily as a medium for distance learning. In addition, it was found that e-learning has several advantages or positive effects. However, many students do not have a personal computer, and they have low or average skills in the use of computer tools, and access to the Internet is low. A limitation of this study is the lack of primary data on the effects of ICT use in obstetric sciences learning in low- and middle-income countries.


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