Self-Administrated Elder Abuse Screening Tool for Older Adults With Visual and Hearing Disabilities

Abstract Older adults age 60+ with disabilities are at greater risk of elder abuse compared to those without disabilities. We will describe results from our study to evaluate the usability and feasibility of the VOICES tablet-based elder abuse screening tool with older adults who have visual and hearing disabilities. VOICES is a digital health tool that screens, educates, and motivates older adults to self-report elder abuse. The VOICES tool has been developed and tested to be used with older adults without disabilities. We conducted a usability study with (n=14) older adults who were blind, had low vision, or were hard of hearing. Our evaluation method included both quantitative and qualitative measures to evaluate the ease of use and usefulness of the VOICES tool. Usability was measured as the percentage of tasks completed successfully, the average time to perform a task and the issues observed during performance of the tasks. Usability satisfaction was measured by written or verbal feedback on the questionnaires, and verbal comments from each session. Six participants completed the tasks successfully on their own; seven participants (mostly blind participants) completed the tasks with some intervention or help from the moderator. The majority of participants had System Usability Scale (SUS) scores 80 or above. Of all the participants, twelve (92%) stated that they would recommend the VOICES tool to others. Our findings generated universal considerations for more inclusive digital health interventions that accounts for the needs, wants and limitations for older adults with disabilities.

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Building Digital Health Tools for Older Adults With Disabilities

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3177 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 861-861

Author(s):

Fuad Abujarad ◽

Sarah Swierenga ◽

Chelsea Edwards

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hard Of Hearing ◽

Research Study ◽

Low Vision ◽

Physical Disabilities ◽

Digital Health ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Smart Phones ◽

Adults With Disabilities ◽

Research Study Design

Abstract Adults with disabilities are more likely to be excluded from digital health research compared to those without. In this symposium, we will describe how user experience (UX) research can be used to successfully develop digital health tools that are both usable and acceptable by older adults with physical disabilities. Our framework and methodology are designed to provide older adults, age 60+ with hearing or visual impairments, the capability to use and adapt digital health tools (including tools that run on mobile devices like smart phones and tablets). Our approach includes one-on-one sessions to evaluate the ease of use and usefulness of digital health for older adults, including 6 blind, 6 deaf, 6 low vision, 6 hard of hearing. This approach allows us to increase the scope of the research participants and, eventually, end users to include adults with disabilities that we may not normally include in research study design.

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Mobile Support for Older Adults and Their Caregivers: Dyad Usability Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.12276 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Charlene C. Quinn ◽

Sheila Staub ◽

Erik Barr ◽

Ann Gruber-Baldini

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Information ◽

Older Adult ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Digital Health ◽

Study Participant ◽

Mobile App ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Usability Study ◽

System Usability Scale

BACKGROUND Evaluation of digital health applications to support older adults’ independence and family caregiving is needed. Digital health is increasingly providing opportunities for older adults and their family caregivers to educate, engage, and share health information across digital platforms. Few apps have documented evidence of usability by older adults and their caregivers. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the usability of a mobile app in a community-based older adult population aged ≥65 years. The app was designed to improve engagement of the patient-informal caregiver team. METHODS This observational usability study was conducted in participants’ homes and independent living facilities in Baltimore, Maryland. Community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years and their caregivers enrolled as a dyad (n=24, 12 dyads). The usability evaluation was a mobile and Web-based app that allowed older adult users to record social and health information and share this information with their caregivers. The older adult-caregiver dyad downloaded the app to a smart phone or accessed the Web version, participated in training and onboarding, and used the app for a 1-month period. Participants responded to weekly surveys sent by app push notifications and to the usability and satisfaction surveys at the end of the study. Participant satisfaction and usability were assessed using the Modified Mobile Application Rating Scale (M-MARS) and the System Usability Scale (SUS). RESULTS The final sample comprised 16 people (8 dyads). Responses to the M-MARS were comparable between older adults and caregiver respondents in terms of engagement and functionality. Caregivers rated aesthetics slightly higher (mean 3.7) than older adult participants did (mean 3.3). Although most responses to the SUS were around the mean (2.3-3.4), older adults and their caregivers differed with regard to integration of app features (mean 3.7 vs 2.8) and the need to learn more before using the app (mean 2.3 vs 3.1). CONCLUSIONS Technology ownership and use among older adults and caregivers was high. Usability and engagement of the mobile app was average. Additional training is recommended for older adults and their caregivers, including that on targeted behaviors for digital health record keeping.

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NOVEL FRAILTY SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE (FSQ) PREDICTS 8-YEAR MORTALITY IN OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA

Journal of Frailty & Aging ◽

10.14283/jfa.2018.38 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

L. Ma ◽

Z. Tang ◽

P. Chan1, ◽

J.D. Walston

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Self Report ◽

Measurement Tool ◽

Screening Questionnaire ◽

Frailty Status

Background: Although frailty status greatly impacts health care in countries with rapidly aging populations, little is known about the frailty status in Chinese older adults. Objectives: Given the increased health care needs associated with frailty, we sought to develop an easily applied self-report screening tool based on four of the syndromic frailty components and sought to validate it in a population of older adults in China. Design: Prospective epidemiological cohort study. Setting: Community-dwelling residents living in Beijing, China. Participants: 1724 community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years in 2004 with an 8-year follow up. Measurements: We developed a simple self-report frailty screening tool—the Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ)—based on the modified Fried frailty components. The predictive ability for outcome was assessed by age and sex adjusted Cox proportional hazards model. Results: According to FSQ criteria, 7.1% of the participants were frail. Frailty was associated with poor physical function, fractures, falls, and mortality. Both frailty and pre-frailty were associated with a higher mortality rate: frailty—hazards ratio (HR), 3.94, 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.16–4.92, P<0.001; pre-frailty—HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.57–2.27, P <0.001; adjusted models for this variable did not affect the estimates of the association. Among the four frailty components, slowness was the strongest predictor of mortality. The combination of the four components provided the best risk prediction. Conclusions: FSQ is a self-report frailty measurement tool that can be rapidly performed to identify older adults with higher risk of adverse health outcomes.

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Validation of the detection of elder abuse through emergency care technicians (DETECT) screening tool: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037170 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. e037170

Author(s):

Brad Cannell ◽

Julie Weitlauf ◽

Melvin D Livingston ◽

Jason Burnett ◽

Megin Parayil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Emergency Care ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Elder Abuse ◽

Well Being ◽

Living Environment ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Semistructured Interview

IntroductionElder mistreatment (EM) is a high prevalence threat to the health and well-being of older adults in the USA. Medics are well-positioned to help with identification of older adults at risk for EM, however, field robust screening tools appropriate for efficient, observation-based screening are lacking. Prior work by this team focused on the development and initial pilot testing of an observation-based EM screening tool named detection of elder abuse through emergency care technicians (DETECT), designed to be implemented by medics during the course of an emergency response (911) call. The objective of the present work is to validate and further refine this tool in preparation for clinical dissemination.Methods and analysisApproximately 59 400 community-dwelling older adults who place 911 calls during the 36-month study observation period will be screened by medics responding to the call using the DETECT tool. Next, a random subsample of 2520 of the 59 400 older adults screened will be selected to participate in a follow-up interview approximately 2 weeks following the completion of the screening. Follow-up interviews will consist of a medic-led semistructured interview designed to assess the older adult’s likelihood of abuse exposure, physical/mental health status, cognitive functioning, and to systematically evaluate the quality and condition of their physical and social living environment. The data from 25% (n=648) of these follow-up interviews will be presented to a longitudinal, experts and all data panel for a final determination of EM exposure status, representing the closest proxy to a ‘gold standard’ measure available.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been reviewed and approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Texas School of Public Health. The results will be disseminated through formal presentations at local, national and international conferences and through publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

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Evaluation of the Usability and Acceptability of the InnoWell Platform as Rated by Older Adults: Survey Study

JMIR Aging ◽

10.2196/25928 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. e25928

Author(s):

Haley M LaMonica ◽

Anna E Roberts ◽

Tracey A Davenport ◽

Ian B Hickie

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Self Report ◽

Digital Tool ◽

System Usability Scale ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Health And Well Being

Background As the global population ages, there is increased interest in developing strategies to promote health and well-being in later life, thus enabling continued productivity, social engagement, and independence. As older adults use technologies with greater frequency, proficiency, and confidence, health information technologies (HITs) now hold considerable potential as a means to enable broader access to tools and services for the purposes of screening, treatment, monitoring, and ongoing maintenance of health for this group. The InnoWell Platform is a digital tool co-designed with lived experience to facilitate better outcomes by enabling access to a comprehensive multidimensional assessment, the results of which are provided in real time to enable consumers to make informed decisions about clinical and nonclinical care options independently or in collaboration with a health professional. Objective This study aims to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a prototype of the InnoWell Platform, co-designed and configured with and for older adults, using self-report surveys. Methods Participants were adults 50 years and older who were invited to engage with the InnoWell Platform naturalistically (ie, at their own discretion) for a period of 90 days. In addition, they completed short web-based surveys at baseline regarding their background, health, and mental well-being. After 90 days, participants were asked to complete the System Usability Scale to evaluate the usability and acceptability of the prototyped InnoWell Platform, with the aim of informing the iterative redesign and development of this digital tool before implementation within a health service setting. Results A total of 19 participants consented to participate in the study; however, only the data from the 16 participants (mean age 62.8 years, SD 7.5; range 50-72) who completed at least part of the survey at 90 days were included in the analyses. Participants generally reported low levels of psychological distress and good mental well-being. In relation to the InnoWell Platform, the usability scores were suboptimal. Although the InnoWell Platform was noted to be easy to use, participants had difficulty identifying the relevance of the tool for their personal circumstances. Ease of use, the comprehensive nature of the assessment tools, and the ability to track progress over time were favored features of the InnoWell Platform, whereas the need for greater personalization and improved mobile functionality were cited as areas for improvement. Conclusions HITs such as the InnoWell Platform have tremendous potential to improve access to cost-effective and low-intensity interventions at scale to improve and maintain mental health and well-being in later life. However, to promote adoption of and continued engagement with such tools, it is essential that these HITs are personalized and relevant for older adult end users, accounting for differences in background, clinical profiles, and levels of need.

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Usability testing to evaluate user experience on cyclers for automated peritoneal dialysis

Renal Replacement Therapy ◽

10.1186/s41100-021-00340-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Thore Reitz ◽

Stephanie Schwenke ◽

Sebastian Hölzle ◽

Adelheid Gauly

Keyword(s):

Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

User Experience ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Usability Study ◽

Automated Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

Lay Persons ◽

System Usability Scale ◽

System Usability ◽

Nasa Tlx ◽

Experience Questionnaire

Abstract Background In the development of medical devices usability is an important aspect standing alongside performance and safety. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) can be provided by use of automated PD (APD), assisted by a cycler performing the solution exchanges. The present study has been executed to simulate training on APD cyclers to evaluate learnability and usability through established questionnaires. Methods Usability of two APD cyclers (sleep•safe harmony, Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany and HomeChoice Pro, Baxter International Inc., Deerfield (IL), USA) were evaluated with the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), the NASA TLX Questionnaire, and the System Usability Scale (SUS), both after training and after experience sessions. Results Lay persons (n = 10) and health care personnel (HCPs, n = 11) participated in the study. The respondents consistently gave positive ratings in the UEQ after training and experience session. The ratings from the NASA TLX Questionnaire were mostly below 50 points indicating a low workload. Lay users and HCPs gave high ratings in the SUS evaluation both after the training and experience sessions confirming a good learnability and usability of the devices. Conclusions The usability study to assess learnability and use-related safety revealed consistent results with all applied instruments, which demonstrated good learnability and ease-of-use of the studied APD cyclers.

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Patient-Centered Digital Screener for Elder Abuse in the Emergency Department

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.580 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 152-152

Author(s):

Fuad Abujarad ◽

Esther Choo ◽

James Dziura ◽

Chelsea Edwards ◽

Michael Pantalon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Older Adult ◽

Feasibility Study ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Elder Abuse ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Current Data ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Screening Process

Abstract Elder abuse is a growing problem where many cases are left unidentified by professionals. For some older adults, the emergency department may be the sole point of care where they have an opportunity to be identified as victims of abuse. However, current methods of screening tend to miss less obvious forms of abuse and may deter older adults from self-reporting due to either a lack of understanding of abuse or fear of potential consequences. VOICES is an innovative, self-administrated, and automated tablet-based tool that combines screening, educational content, and brief motivational interviewing to enhance and improve identification of elder abuse cases. Combining an elder abuse screener and digital coach designed to guide the older adult through a customized pathway to encourage self-identification and self-reporting of abuse, VOICES is a robust tool engineered to place the screening process in the hands of the older adults, rather than the providers. We will discuss preliminary results of the ongoing feasibility study currently being conducted in the ED, which has successfully enrolled over 500 older adults. Current data indicate that 93% of patients find the tool to be satisfying, engaging, and easy to use. Preliminary findings also suggest that older adults who come in with “Little to none” knowledge of elder abuse increase knowledge of abuse after using the tool. In summary, VOICES appears to be a feasible tablet-based screening tool in the emergency department.

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Usability Study of a Multicomponent Exergame Training for Older Adults with Mobility Limitations

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182413422 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (24) ◽

pp. 13422

Author(s):

Melanie Thalmann ◽

Lisa Ringli ◽

Manuela Adcock ◽

Nathalie Swinnen ◽

Jacqueline de Jong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Usability Study ◽

Mobility Limitations ◽

Technical Aspects ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

System Usability Scale ◽

System Usability ◽

Mobility Impaired ◽

Global Population

The global population aged 60 years and over rises due to increasing life expectancy. More older adults suffer from “geriatric giants”. Mobility limitations, including immobility and instability, are usually accompanied by physical and cognitive decline, and can be further associated with gait changes. Improvements in physical and cognitive functions can be achieved with virtual reality exergame environments. This study investigated the usability of the newly developed VITAAL exergame in mobility-impaired older adults aged 60 years and older. Usability was evaluated with a mixed-methods approach including a usability protocol, the System Usability Scale, and a guideline-based interview. Thirteen participants (9 female, 80.5 ± 4.9 years, range: 71–89) tested the exergame and completed the measurement. The System Usability Scale was rated in a marginal acceptability range (58.3 ± 16.5, range: 30–85). The usability protocol and the guideline-based interview revealed general positive usability. The VITAAL exergame prototype received positive feedback and can be considered usable by older adults with mobility limitations. However, minor improvements to the system in terms of design, instructions, and technical aspects should be taken into account. The results warrant testing of the feasibility of the adapted multicomponent VITAAL exergame, and its effects on physical and cognitive functions, in comparison with conventional training, should be studied.

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Predictive validity of three home fall hazard assessment tools for older adults in Thailand

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0244729 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. e0244729

Author(s):

Charupa Lektip ◽

Sarawut Lapmanee ◽

Thanapoom Rattananupong ◽

Vitool Lohsoonthorn ◽

Arnond Vorayingyong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Predictive Validity ◽

Hazard Assessment ◽

Screening Tool ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Self Report ◽

Local Context ◽

Cutoff Score ◽

Independent Population

This study aimed to examine the predictive validity of two internationally well-known instruments, the Modified Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (Modified HOME FAST) and the Modified Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool-Self Report (Modified HOME FAST-SR), and the newly developed Thai Home Falls Hazard Assessment Tool (Thai-HFHAT) (69 items) in predicting falls among older Thai adults. It also aimed to examine the predictive validity of the two abbreviated versions (44 and 27 items) of the Thai-HFHAT, which were developed post hoc to accommodate older adults’ limited literacy and poor vision and to facilitate the identification of high-impact home fall hazards that are prevalent in the Thailand context. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 450 participants aged 60 years and above who were assessed by the aforementioned tools at baseline, for which data on fall incidence were then collected during the one-year follow-up. The Cox proportional hazard model was applied to estimate hazard ratios (HRs); then, Harrell’s C-statistics and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to identify the best cutoff point, sensitivity and specificity for each instrument. The results showed that the fall hazard rate was 2.04 times per 1,000 person-days. Taking into account both the predictive validity and applicability, the Thai-HFHAT (44 items) was found to be the most suitable screening tool due to its highest sensitivity and specificity (93% and 72%) at the cutoff score of 18. In conclusion, our study showed that these internationally validated home fall hazard assessment tools were quite applicable for Thailand, but further tailoring the tools into a specific local context yielded even more highly valid tools in predicting fall risk among older Thai adults. Although these findings were well reproducible by inferring from the internal validation results, further external validation in the independent population is necessary.

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Analyzing Usability of Mobile Banking Applications in Pakistan

Sukkur IBA Journal of Computing and Mathematical Sciences ◽

10.30537/sjcms.v5i2.883 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 25-35

Author(s):

Hafiz Abid Mahmood Malik ◽

Abdulhafeez Muhammad ◽

Usama Sajid

Keyword(s):

User Satisfaction ◽

Evaluation Method ◽

Mobile App ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Mobile Banking ◽

Heuristic Evaluation ◽

User Testing ◽

Usability Problems ◽

System Usability Scale ◽

Mobile Banking Applications

Usability is a key factor in the quality of the product, which includes ease of use, user satisfaction and the ability of the user to quickly understand the product without practice. As smartphone usage increases, most organizations have shifted their services to mobile applications, such as m-banking. Most of the people uses banking services but hesitate to use m-banking due to complex interfaces. Usability researchers concentrate on the value of design simplicity so that users can perform a particular task with satisfaction, efficiency, and effectiveness. If a mobile app lacks one of these usability features, users may get confused while using the app. This research examines the key usability issues in existing m-banking after checking the usability satisfaction level through System Usability Scale. To compare and highlight a number of usability issues, the researcher used two types of usability evaluation method 'User Testing' and 'Heuristic Evaluation'. In heuristic evaluation expert users used two M-banking apps i.e. Bank of Punjab (BOP) and MCB Islamic Bank (MIB) to evaluate them against Neilson 10 heuristics and extract the usability issues in apps. The user testing is then performed by novice users which includes tasks (translated from extracted problems by heuristic evaluation). After completion on whole testing users filled the post-test SUS’s questionnaire. The result shows that the overall success rate of the tasks was 83%, SUS score was 77 and overall relative time-based efficiency very 54.2%. The expert evaluators found 83% minor errors and 17% major errors. The finding of this paper shows usability problems and recommendations are provided to increase the usability of mobile banking applications at the end of this paper.

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