Development and Pilot Study of an iOS Smartphone Application for Perioperative Functional Capacity Assessment

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and highly associated with loss of independence, caregiver burden, and assisted living placement. The need for cognitive functional capacity tools validated for use in PD clinical and research applications has thus been emphasized in the literature. The Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) is a tablet-based instrument that assesses proficiency for performing real world tasks in a highly realistic environment. Objective: The present study explored application of the VRFCAT-SL in clinical assessments of patients with PD. Specifically, we examined associations between VRFCAT-SL performance and measures of cognition, motor severity, and self-reported cognitive functioning. Methods: The VRFCAT-SL was completed by a sample of 29 PD patients seen in clinic for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Fifteen patients met Movement Disorders Society Task Force criteria for mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI); no patients were diagnosed with dementia. Non-parametric correlations between VRFCAT-SL performance and standardized neuropsychological tests and clinical measures were examined. Results: VRFCAT-SL performance was moderately associated with global rank on neuropsychological testing and discriminated PD-MCI. Follow-up analyses found completion time was associated with visual memory, sustained attention, and set-switching, while errors were associated with psychomotor inhibition. No clinical or motor measures were associated with VRFCAT-SL performance. Self-report was not associated with VRFCAT-SL or neuropsychological test performance. Conclusion: The VRFCAT-SL appears to provide a useful measure of cognitive functional capacity that is not confounded by PD motor symptoms. Future studies will examine utility in PD dementia.

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Digitalizing multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD with a smartphone application: an international observational pilot study

International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

10.2147/copd.s182880 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol Volume 13 ◽

pp. 3831-3836 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Frank Rassouli ◽

David Boutellier ◽

Jonas Duss ◽

Stephan Huber ◽

Martin H. Brutsche

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽

Smartphone Application

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A Novel Educational Smartphone Application for Cognitively Healthy Seniors: A Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126601 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6601

Author(s):

Blanka Klimova ◽

Lukas Sanda

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Mobile Application ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Well Being ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Pedagogical Practice ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Individual Needs ◽

Instructional Manual

Modern technologies surround people every day, including seniors. The aim of this pilot study was to create a maximally user-friendly mobile application in order to meet older users’ individual needs. The research sample consisted of 13 older individuals at the age of 55+ years with a mean age of 67 years, living in the Czech Republic. The key assessment tools of this pilot study were the developed application and usability testing. The findings confirmed that the newly developed mobile application for teaching English met the needs of cognitively healthy seniors, and was acceptable and feasible. In addition, it indicated what technical (e.g., visual interface or easy navigation) and pedagogical (e.g., an instructional manual or adjusting to seniors’ learning pace or clear instructions) aspects should be strictly followed when designing such an educational smartphone application. In addition, the authors of this pilot study provide several implications for pedagogical practice. Further research should include more empirical studies aimed at the exploration of educational mobile applications for older generation groups with respect to meeting their individual needs in order to enhance their overall well-being. However, such studies are, nowadays, very rare.

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Visual Design and Anthropomorphism in a Mobile Pulmonary Rehabilitation Support Intervention

Healthier Lives, Digitally Enabled - Studies in Health Technology and Informatics ◽

10.3233/shti210016 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cindy Chong ◽

Danielle Lottridge ◽

Jim Warren ◽

Rosie Dobson

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽

Symptom Control ◽

Exercise Program ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Study Data ◽

Text Messages ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Improve Symptom

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a behavioral intervention that can improve symptom control and quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but access, uptake and adherence are problematic. Our team has pursued the development of a mobile phone-based intervention (mobile pulmonary rehabilitation, mPR) with iterative design and a pilot study. The mPR intervention is delivered through two technologies: text messages (SMS) and a smartphone application. Our user-centered design analysis of pilot study data led to several insights. First, patients’ replies to the SMS suggested that messages were anthropomorphised and provided social support. Second, the smartphone application could help patients by clearly visualizing the exercise program, alternative exercises, and progress to date. We demonstrate the design iterations made to meet these requirements and we present feedback obtained from experts and from four COPD patients. We discuss implications for the design of mobile pulmonary rehabilitation interventions.

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Broad concepts and messy realities: optimising the application of mental capacity criteria

Journal of Medical Ethics ◽

10.1136/medethics-2021-107571 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. medethics-2021-107571

Author(s):

Scott Y H Kim ◽

Nuala B Kane ◽

Alexander Ruck Keene ◽

Gareth S Owen

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Clinical Research ◽

Functional Capacity ◽

Functional Model ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Mental Capacity ◽

Capacity Assessment ◽

Diverse Range ◽

England And Wales ◽

Mental Capacity Act

Most jurisdictions require that a mental capacity assessment be conducted using a functional model whose definition includes several abilities. In England and Wales and in increasing number of countries, the law requires a person be able to understand, to retain, to use or weigh relevant information and to communicate one’s decision. But interpreting and applying broad and vague criteria, such as the ability ‘to use or weigh’ to a diverse range of presentations is challenging. By examining actual court judgements of capacity, we previously developed a descriptive typology of justifications (rationales) used in the application of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) criteria. We here critically optimise this typology by showing how clear definitions—and thus boundaries—between the criteria can be achieved if the ‘understanding’ criterion is used narrowly and the multiple rationales that fall under the ability to ‘use or weigh’ are specifically enumerated in practice. Such a typology-aided practice, in theory, could make functional capacity assessments more transparent, accountable, reliable and valid. It may also help to create targeted supports for decision making by the vulnerable. We also discuss how the typology could evolve legally and scientifically, and how it lays the groundwork for clinical research on the abilities enumerated by the MCA.

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