scholarly journals Comprehensive overview of computer-based health information tailoring: a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e019215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azadeh Kamel Ghalibaf ◽  
Elham Nazari ◽  
Mahdi Gholian-Aval ◽  
Hamed Tabesh ◽  
Mahmood Tara

IntroductionTailoring health information to the needs of individuals has become an important part of modern health communications. Tailoring has been addressed by researchers from different disciplines leading to the emergence of a wide range of approaches, making the newcomers confused. In order to address this, a comprehensive overview of the field with the indications of research gaps, tendencies and trends will be helpful. As a result, a systematic protocol was outlined to conduct a scoping review within the field of computer-based health information tailoring.Methods and analysisThis protocol is based on the York’s five-stage framework outlined by Arksey and O’Malley. A field-specific structure was defined as a basis for undertaking each stage. The structure comprised three main aspects:system design,information communicationandevaluation. Five leading databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, EBSCO and IEEE and a broad search strategy was used with less strict inclusion criteria to cover the breadth of evidence. Theoretical frameworks were used to develop the data extraction form and a rigorous approach was introduced to identify the categories from data. Several explanatory-descriptive methods were considered to analyse the data, from which some were proposed to be employed for the first time in scoping studies.Ethics and disseminationThis study investigates the breadth and depth of existing literature on computer-tailoring and as a secondary analysis, does not require ethics approval. We anticipate that the results will identify research gaps and novel ideas for future studies and provide direction to combine methods from different disciplines. The research findings will be submitted for publication to relevant peer-reviewed journals and conferences targeting health promotion and patient education.

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e021022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azadeh Kamel Ghalibaf ◽  
Elham Nazari ◽  
Mahdi Gholian-Aval ◽  
Mahmood Tara

ObjectivesTo explore the scope of the published literature on computer-tailoring, considering both the development and the evaluation aspects, with the aim of identifying and categorising main approaches and detecting research gaps, tendencies and trends.SettingOriginal researches from any country and healthcare setting.ParticipantsPatients or health consumers with any health condition regardless of their specific characteristics.MethodA systematic scoping review was undertaken based on the York’s five-stage framework outlined by Arksey and O’Malley. Five leading databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, EBSCO and IEEE for articles published between 1990 and 2017. Tailoring concept was investigated for three aspects: system design, information delivery and evaluation. Both quantitative (ie, frequencies) and qualitative (ie, theme analysis) methods have been used to synthesis the data.ResultsAfter reviewing 1320 studies, 360 articles were identified for inclusion. Two main routes were identified in tailoring literature including public health research (64%) and computer science research (17%). The most common facets used for tailoring were sociodemographic (73 %), target behaviour status (59%) and psycho-behavioural determinants (56%), respectively. The analysis showed that only 13% of the studies described the tailoring algorithm they used, from which two approaches revealed: information retrieval (12%) and natural language generation (1%). The systematic mapping of the delivery channel indicated that nearly half of the articles used the web (57%) to deliver the tailored information; printout (19%) and email (10%) came next. Analysis of the evaluation approaches showed that nearly half of the articles (53%) used an outcome-based approach, 44% used process evaluation and 3% assessed cost-effectiveness.ConclusionsThis scoping review can inform researchers to identify the methodological approaches of computer tailoring. Improvements in reporting and conduct are imperative. Further research on tailoring methodology is warranted, and in particular, there is a need for a guideline to standardise reporting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. e004729
Author(s):  
Sangeetha Paramasivan ◽  
Philippa Davies ◽  
Alison Richards ◽  
Julia Wade ◽  
Leila Rooshenas ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe post-2005 rise in clinical trials and clinical research conducted in India was accompanied by frequent reports of unethical practices, leading to a series of regulatory changes. We conducted a systematic scoping review to obtain an overview of empirical research pertaining to the ethics of clinical trials/research in India.MethodsOur search strategy combined terms related to ethics/bioethics, informed consent, clinical trials/research and India, across nine databases, up to November 2019. Peer-reviewed research exploring ethical aspects of clinical trials/research in India with any stakeholder groups was included. We developed an evidence map, undertook a narrative synthesis and identified research gaps. A consultation exercise with stakeholders in India helped contextualise the review and identify additional research priorities.ResultsTitles/Abstracts of 9699 articles were screened, full text of 282 obtained and 80 were included. Research on the ethics of clinical trials/research covered a wide range of topics, often conducted with little to no funding. Studies predominantly examined what lay (patients/public) and professional participants (eg, healthcare staff/students/faculty) know about topics such as research ethics or understand from the information given to obtain their consent for research participation. Easily accessible groups, namely ethics committee members and healthcare students were frequently researched. Research gaps included developing a better understanding of the recruitment-informed consent process, including the doctor-patient interaction, in multiple contexts and exploring issues of equity and justice in clinical trials/research.ConclusionThe review demonstrates that while a wide range of topics have been studied in India, the focus is largely on assessing knowledge levels across different population groups. This is a useful starting point, but fundamental questions remain unanswered about informed consent processes and broader issues of inequity that pervade the clinical trials/research landscape. A priority-setting exercise and appropriate funding mechanisms to support researchers in India would help improve the clinical trials/research ecosystem.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 105-106
Author(s):  
Azadeh Kamel Ghalibaf ◽  
Zahra Mazloum Khorasani ◽  
Mahdi Gholian Aval ◽  
Mahmood Tara

Introduction: The recent shift from the conventional physician-centered approach to the more polpular approach that with the focuse on patient as the center of healthcare, emphaizes on the critical role of informing and educating patients. Studies shown that tailoring health information to the needs of individuals is more effective than generic materials. Recent improvements in the fields of computer science and Information Communication Technology have made it possible to computerize such an adaptation process. Information tailoring systems use an internal representation of user conditions and needs, which is referred to as a “user model” or “user profile.” A user profile represents the system’s beliefs about the user. Hence, it may simply contain demographic information or sophisticated factors such as the state of the disease, user’s attitude, interest, preference, and knowledge. The user profile is known as the basis for designing other system components and has a great impact on the acceptance of the system by the user and the quality of the tailored information. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted so far to analyze and classify user profile aspects and characteristics. In this systematic narrative review, we aim to provide aspects of profiling in health information tailoring systems based on literature from different disciplines. Methods: comprehensive searches of the PubMed and Scopus databases have been conducted. We searched among English papers with publishing dates ranging from 1990 onward; since that is when computer-tailoring first appeared within the literature. we have devised a list of terms pertinent to the main concepts of computer-tailoring and used a qualitative–interpretive approach for data extraction. Results: Analyzing the data from 32 eligible studies, we found three aspects in designing a tailoring user profile. Each aspect with its characteristics are provided below: 1-Identifying common factors used in profiles and classifying these factors thematically, which has three attributes: The number of factors used to design the user profile and their diversity (e.g. demographic,clinical,behavioral information, learning style and so forth) The approaches used to Identify effective factors in tailoring (e.g. evidence-based, avalible data sources) Attributes of the factors (e.g. long-term/short-term, static/dynamic)  2-Data collection tools and methods, which has two attributes: Data collection methods (e.g. explicit, implicit, mixed) Assessment tool (e.g. questionnaire, patient record) 3-Data interpretation that demonstrates to what extent the collected data needs to be analyzed to use in tailoring. we have also identified two main approaches regarding tailoring: public health and computational tailoring. Public Health communication researcher has relied greatly on health behavior models but generally has used simpler technological approaches, whereas computer science employed more advanced technological approaches but integrated behavior theory to a lesser extent. These two approaches complete each other to provide the necessary requirements for designing a practical tailoring system in future studies. Conclusion: In this study we investigate different aspects of designing a user profile in health information tailoring systems. The proposed model is a valuable guide for new researchers in the field. Results from this review provide a comprehensive overview of the field and will help researchers to combine effective methods from across the disciplines in future research.


Author(s):  
Julia Yates

Career theories are developed to help make sense of the complexity of career choice and development. The intricacy of the subject matter is such that career theories most often focus on one or two aspects of the phenomenon. As such, the challenges of integrating the theories with each other, and integrating them within career practice, are not insignificant. In this chapter, an overview of the theoretical landscape is offered that illustrates how the theories align with each other to build up a comprehensive picture of career choice and development. The chapter introduces a wide range of theoretical frameworks, spanning seven decades and numerous academic disciplines, and discusses the most well-known theorists alongside less familiar names. The chapter is structured around four concepts: identity, environment, career learning, and psychological career resources. Suggestions are offered for the incorporation of theories in career practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e001108
Author(s):  
Omar Heyward ◽  
Stacey Emmonds ◽  
Gregory Roe ◽  
Sean Scantlebury ◽  
Keith Stokes ◽  
...  

Women’s rugby (rugby league, rugby union and rugby sevens) has recently grown in participation and professionalisation. There is under-representation of women-only cohorts within applied sport science and medicine research and within the women’s rugby evidence base. The aims of this article are: Part 1: to undertake a systematic-scoping review of the applied sport science and medicine of women’s rugby, and Part 2: to develop a consensus statement on future research priorities. This article will be designed in two parts: Part 1: a systematic-scoping review, and Part 2: a three-round Delphi consensus method. For Part 1, systematic searches of three electronic databases (PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, SPORTDiscus (EBSCOhost)) will be performed from the earliest record. These databases will be searched to identify any sport science and medicine themed studies within women’s rugby. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews will be adhered to. Part 2 involves a three-round Delphi consensus method to identify future research priorities. Identified experts in women’s rugby will be provided with overall findings from Part 1 to inform decision-making. Participants will then be asked to provide a list of research priority areas. Over the three rounds, priority areas achieving consensus (≥70% agreement) will be identified. This study has received institutional ethical approval. When complete, the manuscript will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings of this article will have relevance for a wide range of stakeholders in women’s rugby, including policymakers and governing bodies.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 967
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Landry ◽  
Anthony Crimarco ◽  
Dalia Perelman ◽  
Lindsay R. Durand ◽  
Christina Petlura ◽  
...  

Adherence is a critical factor to consider when interpreting study results from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing one diet to another, but it is frequently not reported by researchers. The purpose of this secondary analysis of the Keto–Med randomized trial was to provide a detailed examination and comparison of the adherence to the two study diets (Well Formulated Ketogenic Diet (WFKD) and Mediterranean Plus (Med-Plus)) under the two conditions: all food being provided (delivered) and all food being obtained by individual participants (self-provided). Diet was assessed at six time points including baseline (x1), week 4 of each phase when participants were receiving food deliveries (x2), week 12 of each phase when participants were preparing and providing food on their own (x2), and 12 weeks after participants completed both diet phases and were free to choose their own diet pattern (x1). The adherence scores for WFKD and Med-Plus were developed specifically for this study. Average adherence to the two diet patterns was very similar during both on-study time points of the intervention. Throughout the study, a wide range of adherence was observed among participants—for both diet types and during both the delivery phase and self-provided phase. Insight from this assessment of adherence may aid other researchers when answering the important question of how to improve behavioral adherence during dietary trials. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT03810378.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daly Geagea ◽  
Zephanie Tyack ◽  
Roy Kimble ◽  
Lars Eriksson ◽  
Vince Polito ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Inadequately treated pain and distress elicited by medical procedures can put children at higher risks of acute and chronic biopsychosocial sequelae. Children can benefit from hypnotherapy, a psychological tailored intervention, as an adjunct to pharmacological agents to address the multiple components of pain and distress. Despite providing evidence on the effectiveness and potential superiority of hypnotherapy to other psychological interventions, research on hypnotherapy for paediatric procedural pain and distress has been predominantly limited to oncology and needle procedures. Plus, there is a lack of reporting of intervention manuals, factors influencing hypnotic responding, pain unpleasantness outcomes, theoretical frameworks, adverse events, as well as barriers and facilitators to the feasibility of delivering the intervention and study procedures. The proposed review aims to map the range and nature of the evidence on hypnotherapy for procedural pain and distress in children to identify gaps in literature and areas requiring further investigation. Methods This review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) methodology and incorporate additional scoping review recommendations by The Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. Relevant studies will be identified through searching published literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) and grey literature in addition to hand-searching of reference lists and key journals. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts of search results followed by full-texts review against eligibility criteria. Conclusion Findings are anticipated to guide future research and inform the development of tailored hypnotic interventions in children.


Mindfulness ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Matko ◽  
Ulrich Ott ◽  
Peter Sedlmeier

Abstract Objectives Meditation is an umbrella term for a vast range of contemplative practices. Former proposals have struggled to do justice to this variety. To our knowledge, there is to date no comprehensive overview of meditation techniques spanning all major traditions. The present studies aimed at providing such a comprehensive list of meditation techniques. Methods In a qualitative study, we compiled a collection of 309 meditation techniques through a literature search and interviews with 20 expert meditators. Then, we reduced this collection to 50 basic meditation techniques. In a second, quantitative study, 635 experienced meditators from a wide range of meditative backgrounds indicated how much experience they had with each of these 50 meditation techniques. Results Meditators’ responses indicated that our choice of techniques had been adequate and only two techniques had to be added. Our additional statistical and cluster analyses illustrated preferences for specific techniques across and within diverse traditions as well as sets of techniques commonly practiced together. Body-centered techniques stood out in being of exceptional importance to all meditators. Conclusions In conclusion, we found an amazing variety of meditation techniques, which considerably surpasses previous collections. Our selection of basic meditation techniques might be of value for future scientific investigations and we encourage researchers to use this set.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 822
Author(s):  
Christine Thanner ◽  
Martin Eibelhuber

Ultraviolet (UV) Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) is a replication method that is well known for its capability to address a wide range of pattern sizes and shapes. It has proven to be an efficient production method for patterning resist layers with features ranging from a few hundred micrometers and down to the nanometer range. Best results can be achieved if the fundamental behavior of the imprint resist and the pattern filling are considered by the equipment and process parameters. In particular, the material properties and pattern size and shape play a crucial role. For capillary force-driven filling behavior it is important to understand the influencing parameters and respective failure modes in order to optimize the processes for reliable full wafer manufacturing. In this work, the nanoimprint results obtained for different pattern geometries are compared with respect to pattern quality and residual layer thickness: The comprehensive overview of the relevant process parameters is helpful for setting up NIL processes for different nanostructures with minimum layer thickness.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 673
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. Whittaker ◽  
Yifan Liu ◽  
Timothy H. Barker

The Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS) was developed 10 years ago as a method for assessing pain through the characterisation of changes in five facial features or action units. The strength of the technique is that it is proposed to be a measure of spontaneous or non-evoked pain. The time is opportune to map all of the research into the MGS, with a particular focus on the methods used and the technique’s utility across a range of mouse models. A comprehensive scoping review of the academic literature was performed. A total of 48 articles met our inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The MGS has been employed mainly in the evaluation of acute pain, particularly in the pain and neuroscience research fields. There has, however, been use of the technique in a wide range of fields, and based on limited study it does appear to have utility for pain assessment across a spectrum of animal models. Use of the method allows the detection of pain of a longer duration, up to a month post initial insult. There has been less use of the technique using real-time methods and this is an area in need of further research.


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