scholarly journals A Primer on Usability Assessment Approaches for Health-Related Applications of Virtual Reality (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Zhang ◽  
Richard Booth ◽  
Royce Jean-Louis ◽  
Ryan Chan ◽  
Anthony Yeung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Medical Professional ◽  
Patient Treatment ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Health Related

UNSTRUCTURED Health-related virtual reality (VR) applications for patient treatment, rehabilitation, and medical professional training are on the rise. However, there is little guidance on how to select and perform usability evaluations for VR health interventions compared to the supports that exist for other digital health technologies. The purpose of this viewpoint paper is to present an introductory summary of various usability testing approaches or methods that can be used for VR applications. Along with an overview of each, a list of resources is provided for readers to obtain additionally relevant information. Six categories of VR usability evaluations are described using a previously developed classification taxonomy specific to VR environments: (1) cognitive or task walkthrough, (2) graphical evaluation, (3) post hoc questionnaires or interviews, (4) physical performance evaluation, (5) user interface evaluation, and (6) heuristic evaluation. Given the growth of VR in health care, rigorous evaluation and usability testing is crucial in the development and implementation of novel VR interventions. The approaches outlined in this paper provide a starting point for conducting usability assessments for health-related VR applications; however, there is a need to also move beyond these to adopt those from the gaming industry, where assessments for both usability and user experience are routinely conducted.

scholarly journals A Primer on Usability Assessment Approaches for Health-Related Applications of Virtual Reality

10.2196/18153 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e18153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Zhang ◽  
Richard Booth ◽  
Royce Jean-Louis ◽  
Ryan Chan ◽  
Anthony Yeung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Medical Professional ◽  
Patient Treatment ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Health Related

Health-related virtual reality (VR) applications for patient treatment, rehabilitation, and medical professional training are on the rise. However, there is little guidance on how to select and perform usability evaluations for VR health interventions compared to the supports that exist for other digital health technologies. The purpose of this viewpoint paper is to present an introductory summary of various usability testing approaches or methods that can be used for VR applications. Along with an overview of each, a list of resources is provided for readers to obtain additionally relevant information. Six categories of VR usability evaluations are described using a previously developed classification taxonomy specific to VR environments: (1) cognitive or task walkthrough, (2) graphical evaluation, (3) post hoc questionnaires or interviews, (4) physical performance evaluation, (5) user interface evaluation, and (6) heuristic evaluation. Given the growth of VR in health care, rigorous evaluation and usability testing is crucial in the development and implementation of novel VR interventions. The approaches outlined in this paper provide a starting point for conducting usability assessments for health-related VR applications; however, there is a need to also move beyond these to adopt those from the gaming industry, where assessments for both usability and user experience are routinely conducted.

scholarly journals Safety and Privacy Considerations for Mobile Application Design in Digital Healthcare

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojca Volk ◽  
Janez Sterle ◽  
Urban Sedlar
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Application ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Medical Professional ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Security And Privacy ◽  
Sensitive Data ◽  
Legal Obligations ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Treatment Context

This paper presents a case study on security and privacy implications on the design of a mobile application in digital health, the DeStress Assistant (DeSA) app, which utilizes sensing technologies and capabilities of the Internet of Things (IoT). An analysis of the applicable legislative framework is provided and selected challenges encountered during the app design are discussed, which are related with the practical implications of provisions of the international and national legislation for software applications in general as well as medical devices and handling of sensitive data in particular. We provide insights into design choices, including different possible scenarios for classification of a mobile app as a medical device and the pertaining legal risks the app developer is faced with as a consequence of possible legal obligations, and different possibilities of specifying the intended use. Also, we propose two designs of a mechanism that enables secure sharing of the patient’s health-related observations from the DeSA app with a medical professional within a treatment context. The first mechanism provides secure submission of health-related observations into a hospital information system, whereas the second mechanism enables secure short-term sharing of observations without storage.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of digital health interventions for diabetes: systematic review of systematic reviews

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonkana Maiga ◽  
Cheick O Bagayoko ◽  
Mohamed Ali Ag Ahmed ◽  
Abdrahamane Anne ◽  
Marie-Pierre Gagnon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Clinical Indicators ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Interventions ◽  
Effective Interventions

Abstract Background The use of digital health technologies to tackle diabetes has been particularly flourishing in recent years. Previous studies have shown to varying degrees that these technologies can have an impact on diabetes prevention and management. Objective The aim of this review is to summarize the best evidence regarding the effectiveness of digital health interventions to improve one or more diabetes indicators. Methods We included all types of interventions aimed at evaluating the effect of digital health on diabetes. We considered at all types of digital interventions (mobile health, teleconsultations, tele-expertise, electronic health records, decision support systems, e-learning, etc.). We included systematic reviews published in English or French over the last 29 years, from January 1991 to December 2019, that met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of the studies to assess their eligibility, and extracted relevant information according to a predetermined grid. Any disagreement was resolved by discussion and consensus between the two reviewers, or involved a third author as referee. Results In total in our review of journals, we included 10 reviews. The outcomes of interest were clinical indicators of diabetes that could be influenced by digital interventions. These outcomes had to be objectively measurable indicators related to diabetes surveillance and management that are generally accepted by diabetes experts. Six of the ten reviews showed moderate to large significant reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c) levels compared to controls. Most reviews reported overall positive results and found that digital health interventions improved health care utilization, behaviours, attitudes, knowledge and skills. Conclusion Based on a large corpus of scientific evidence on digital health interventions, this overview could help identify the most effective interventions to improve diabetes indicators.

Inequities in Healthcare Services caused by the Adoption of Digital Health Technologies: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Yao ◽  
Wenli Zhang ◽  
Richard Evans ◽  
Guang Cao ◽  
Lining Shen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Inequities ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Starting Point

BACKGROUND Digital health technologies are rapidly adapting to healthcare contexts to provide improved medical services to citizens. However, contrary to expectations, their rapid adoption appears to have led to health inequities. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to systematically review the inequities of healthcare services brought about by the adoption of digital health technologies. The influencing factors of inequities, as well as corresponding countermeasures to ensure the health equity between different groups of citizens, is also studied. METHODS A systematic review of literature published from 1990 to 2020 was completed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review process, and the electronic databases of Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus. Search, sorting, and data extraction processes were completed by two authors of the paper using Thomson Endnote. RESULTS In total, 1,895 studies were collected during the search process, of which 40 were identified for analysis. The earliest literature identified was published in 1993, with the number remaining below 2 for a long period of time. The number started to increase until 2016, with a peak thereafter being reached in 2020. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway ranked as the top three in terms of publication output. Health inequities caused by digital health technologies were mainly reflected by access and availability of digital technologies and the differences in healthcare outcomes. The factors that influenced inequities included: demographic factors (i.e., gender, age, race, region, economy, and education level), health conditions, and eHealth literacy. Finally, government agencies and medical institutions, digital health technology providers, and healthcare service receivers can all take actions to alleviate inequities, in future. CONCLUSIONS Findings provide a comprehensive starting point for future research allowing for further investigation into how digital health technologies may influence the unequal distribution of healthcare services. The interaction between individual subjective factors, as well as social support, and influencing factors should be included in future studies. In particular, access and availability to digital health technologies by vulnerable groups should be of paramount importance.

scholarly journals “Sometimes I don’t have a pulse, and I’m still alive!” Healthcare providers on digital health techs

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Tomasella ◽  
H M Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Change Promotion

Abstract Background Digital health technologies (DHTs) are increasingly becoming an integral part of our lives, healthcare field included. The WHO recently has even released the first digital health guidelines for worldwide intervention. Commercially available DHTs (e.g. smartphones, smartwatches, apps) may hold significant potential in healthcare, upon successful and constructive integration. Literature on the topic is split between enthusiasm for the potential benefits, and concerns about reliability and effectiveness. Little is known about what healthcare professionals (HCPs) have experienced so far with patients and what they believe the main issues for implementation may be. This study aims to investigate current perceptions of HCPs towards self-tracked health-related outputs from devices and apps available to the public. Methods Nine HCPs volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews. Data were thematically analysed adopting a pre-constructed framework (deductive approach) based on current (April 2019) literature and the findings from the first two interviews. Results The following main themes were identified and explored in detail: HCPs' experience, perceived knowledge and views on DHTs; advantages and disadvantages; barriers towards healthcare implementation and solutions; future perspectives. While most participants were adopters of DHTs and held positive views about them, their overall experience with patients and the technology was limited. Potential reasons for this included factors such as time/resources availability; colleagues' mindset; lack of evidence of effectiveness for practice; privacy/data security concerns. Conclusions The potential advantages of DHTs' adoption in healthcare are substantial - e.g. patient autonomy, time/resources saving, health and behaviour change promotion. However, future research is warranted focussing on addressing barriers, minimising disadvantages, and assessing the clinical value of commercially available DHTs. Key messages We explored healthcare providers’ views on the role of commercial digital health techs in clinical practice. Despite some privacy and reliability concerns, commercial digital health techs show promise.

Internet Information Sources for the Identification of Emerging Health Technologies: A Starting Point

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 644-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelinda Trindade ◽  
Leigh-Ann Topfer ◽  
Mara De Giusti
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Timely Access ◽  
Internet Information ◽  
One Year

AbstractThe basis of an early warning system for new and emerging health technologies is information, and in particular, information that has been selectively extracted from the huge quantity of data in the fields of medicine, science, and biobusiness. The information will be useful only if presented in a format suitable to the needs of health care decision makers and produced at the time most likely to influence the introduction or diffusion of new technologies. In 1997 the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA) began a one-year pilot project to identify and provide information on developments in medical technologies that may have a significant impact on health care in Canada. We began by examining the information available to us through the Internet, based on the assumption that electronic sources can offer more timely access to a greater range of information, often with little or no cost involved. It was important to identify the sites that offered the most relevant information in the least amount of time.

Selecting digital health technologies for validation and piloting by healthcare providers: a decision-making perspective from ontario

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Amarjit Chahal ◽  
Abraham Rudnick
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Academic Hospitals ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Alternative Approaches

AbstractDigital health technologies (DHTs) such as health apps are rapidly emerging as a major disruptor of health care. Yet there is no well-established process of decision making for selecting DHTs that are worthy of investing resources in their validation to determine whether they are ready (safe, effective, and not too costly) for health related use. We report here on an Ontario-based initiative to support such decision making. Specifically, we developed a decision-making algorithm that uses approved criteria including the strategic direction of the health research institute and the hospital, and availability of resources. The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario has adapted our approach for other hospitals. We hope that other healthcare organizations, in and beyond Ontario, will consider this and alternative approaches, and that research will be conducted to evaluate such approaches.

scholarly journals Young People’s Perspectives on and Experiences of Health-Related Social Media, Apps, and Wearable Health Devices

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria A. Goodyear ◽  
Kathleen M. Armour
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Shape Influence

: It has been reported from numerous international and socio-economic contexts that young people are becoming increasingly interested in and/or using social media, apps, and wearable devices for their health. Yet, there are few robust empirical accounts on the types of health-related information young people find, select, and use, the reasons for their choices, and how young people use these technologies in a way that influences their health-related knowledge and behaviors. This paper synthesizes findings from three separate projects that investigated over 1600 young people’s (age 13–19) perspectives on and experiences of health-related social media, apps, and wearable health devices. The findings show that young people are both critical and vulnerable users and generators of digital health technologies. Many young people experience a range of positive benefits for their physical activity, diet/nutritional, and body image related behaviors. Yet there are a number of risks, and young people report on the power of digital health technologies to shape, influence, and change their health-related behaviors. The paper concludes by providing new and evidence-based direction and guidance on how relevant adults (including teachers, parents/guardians, health professionals/practitioners, policy-makers, and researchers) can better understand and support young people’s engagement with digital health technologies.

scholarly journals How Women Use Digital Technologies for Health: Qualitative Interview and Focus Group Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Lupton ◽  
Sarah Maslen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND A range of digital technologies are available to lay people to find, share, and generate health-related information. Few studies have directed attention specifically to how women are using these technologies from the diverse array available to them. Even fewer have focused on Australian women’s use of digital health. OBJECTIVE The Australian Women and Digital Health Project aimed to investigate which types of digital technologies women used regularly for health-related purposes and which they found most helpful and useful. Qualitative methods—semistructured interviews and focus groups—were employed to shed light on the situated complexities of the participants’ enactments of digital health technologies. The project adopted a feminist new materialism theoretical perspective, focusing on the affordances, relational connections, and affective forces that came together to open up or close off the agential capacities generated with and through these enactments. METHODS The project comprised two separate studies including a total of 66 women. In study 1, 36 women living in the city of Canberra took part in face-to-face interviews and focus groups, while study 2 involved telephone interviews with 30 women from other areas of Australia. RESULTS The affordances of search engines to locate health information and websites and social media platforms for providing information and peer support were highly used and valued. Affective forces such as the desire for trust, motivation, empowerment, reassurance, control, care, and connection emerged in the participants’ accounts. Agential capacities generated with and through digital health technologies included the capacity to seek and generate information and create a better sense of knowledge and expertise about bodies, illness, and health care, including the women’s own bodies and health, that of their families and friends, and that of their often anonymous online social networks. The participants referred time and again to appreciating the feelings of agency and control that using digital health technologies afforded them. When the technologies failed to work as expected, these agential capacities were not realized. Women responded with feelings of frustration, disappointment, and annoyance, leading them to become disenchanted with the possibilities of the digital technologies they had tried. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate the nuanced and complex ways in which the participants were engaging with and contributing to online sources of information and using these sources together with face-to-face encounters with doctors and other health care professionals and friends and family members. They highlight the lay forms of expertise that the women had developed in finding, assessing, and creating health knowledges. The study also emphasized the key role that many women play in providing advice and health care for family members not only as digitally engaged patients but also as digitally engaged carers.

Digital Health for Geriatric Oncology

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramin Fallahzadeh ◽  
Seyed Ali Rokni ◽  
Hassan Ghasemzadeh ◽  
Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis ◽  
Armin Shahrokni
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Geriatric Oncology ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Study Protocols ◽  
Health Related

In this review, we describe state-of-the-art digital health solutions for geriatric oncology and explore the potential application of emerging remote health-monitoring technologies in the context of cancer care. We also discuss the benefits and motivations behind adopting technology for symptom monitoring of older adults with cancer. We provide an overview of common symptoms and of the digital solutions–designed remote symptom assessment. We describe state-of-the-art systems for this purpose and highlight the limitations and challenges for the full-scale adoption of such solutions in geriatric oncology. With rapid advances in Internet-of-things technologies, many remote assessment systems have been developed in recent years. Despite showing potential in several health care domains and reliable functionality, few of these solutions have been designed for or tested in older patients with cancer. As a result, the geriatric oncology community lacks a consensus understanding of a possible correlation between remote digital assessments and health-related outcomes. Although the recent development of digital health solutions has been shown to be reliable and effective in many health-related applications, there exists an unmet need for development of systems and clinical trials specifically designed for remote cancer management of older adults with cancer, including developing advanced remote technologies for cancer-related symptom assessment and psychological behavior monitoring at home and developing outcome-oriented study protocols for accurate evaluation of existing or emerging systems. We conclude that perhaps the clearest path to future large-scale use of remote digital health technologies in cancer research is designing and conducting collaborative studies involving computer scientists, oncologists, and patient advocates.

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