scholarly journals Development of the Hearing Rehabilitation for Older Adults (HeRO) Healthcare Mobile Application and Its Likely Utility for Elderly Users

Author(s):  
Chanbeom Kwak ◽  
Saea Kim ◽  
Sunghwa You ◽  
Woojae Han

The present study aimed to develop a healthcare application for the elderly who suspect or know they have a hearing loss, namely, the Hearing Rehabilitation for Older Adults (HeRO), which is available in a mobile device, and then to confirm its probability of acceptance among elderly users. Under a web server system, HeRO which had four types of tailored training for the aged auditory system (i.e., syllable, sentence, discourse, working memory) and a self-reported questionnaire to screen amount of the hearing loss was completed for the elderly. To verify whether the HeRO contents and functions were user-friendly to the elderly users, the technology acceptance model (TAM) was used. Forty-four older adults were asked to use the developed application for 10 days and then respond to a TAM questionnaire with 25 items. The Cronbach’s α coefficient of each subcategory was very high. The construct validity of all subcategories showed high eigenvalues using principal component analysis. Furthermore, our regression model statistically supported a persuasive intention to use the healthcare application because the elderly readily accept it and find it easy to manipulate. We expect the current technology to be applied to the general public as well as the elderly who want to explore digital health.

Author(s):  
Ashfaq Ahmad ◽  
Tareq Rasul ◽  
Anish Yousaf ◽  
Umer Zaman

Elderly diabetic patients in developed countries have been widely using digital health wearables for many years to manage their diabetes-related health data accurately. To encourage the increased adoption of digital health wearables among elderly diabetic patients in a developing country, Bangladesh, this study investigated the factors that influenced the existing elderly users’ continuance intention to use this technology. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been used here as a theoretical basis. A model using structural equation modelling was developed for the elderly diabetic patients’ continuance intention to use digital health wearables. Survey-based data were collected in Bangladesh from 223 diabetic patients aged sixty years and older. This study found that all six constructs, namely, perceived usefulness (β = 0.183), perceived ease of use (β = 0.165), perceived irreplaceability (β = 0.138), perceived credibility (β = 0.165), compatibility (β = 0.285) and social influence (β = 0.226) had a positive influence on elderly diabetic patients’ continuance intention to use digital health wearables. Along with the theoretical contributions, the findings of this study can be used by developers of digital health wearables, manufacturers, marketers and health practitioners in developing better strategies to increase the elderly diabetic patients’ continuance intention to use this technology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 259-259
Author(s):  
Mary Krebs

Abstract While health endures as a term to describe looking after oneself, looking after loved ones, and receiving care, the added component of electronic technology has emerged to affect all levels of health care delivery. Despite the prevalence of digital health and empirical evidence strongly supporting improved outcomes--the final mile--as it is sometimes called, is the sustained patient engagement with eHealth and mHealth we have yet to achieve. This research identifies a gap in the literature for understudied characteristics of digital health adoption, use affecting the aging population in the U.S., and contributes a deeper understanding of the key barriers to use of health-related technology. A mixed-methods research approach explores prevalent barriers to digital health utilization by older adults through a pre-post data collection strategy to empirically test an educational health-related intervention rooted in the Technology Acceptance Model. This validated analytic framework represents a decision ‘core’ as a user pathway for actual use. Evaluation of score data utilized a quantitative test of group means while thematic coding was employed for qualitative analysis. The results from this study are two-fold. The work strongly suggests specific barriers to adoption and use, confirming a distrust and reluctance to engage. However, additional evidence, both quantitative and qualitative illuminates substantive skills, positive perceptions, hopeful attitudes, as well as the rationale for use of available digital resources. Findings suggest future research would benefit from expanded use of the two-pronged approach to foster health-related technology engagement.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Maurita T. Harris ◽  
Wendy A. Rogers

Abstract Older adults with a chronic health condition (e.g. hypertension) use various self-management methods. Healthcare technologies have the potential to support health self-management. However, it is necessary to understand the acceptance of these technologies as a precursor to older adults’ adoption and integration into their health plan. Our focus was on the factors older adults with hypertension initially consider when introduced to three new healthcare technologies that might support their health self-management. We compared their considerations for a blood pressure monitor, an electronic pillbox and a multifunction robot to simulate incrementally more complex technologies. Twenty-three participants (aged 65–84) completed four questionnaires and a semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. We identified the factors that were frequently mentioned among the participants for each of the three healthcare technologies. The factors that older adults initially considered were familiarity, perceived benefits, perceived ease of use, perceived need for oneself, relative advantage, complexity and perceived need for others. Upon further reflection, participants considered advice acceptance, compatibility, convenience, facilitating conditions, perceived usefulness, privacy, subjective norm, and trust. We integrated the factors that older adults considered into the Healthcare Technology Acceptance Model (H-TAM), which elucidates the complexity of healthcare technology acceptance and provides guidance for future explorations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-298
Author(s):  
Dawei Liu ◽  
Anqi Liu ◽  
Wanying Tu

New media entertainment is currently being spotlighted by business practitioners and researchers. This article highlighted this issue of elder online users and explored the factors affecting their acceptance decisions in new media entertainment. Older adults prefer to status and value orientations, so their online acceptance of new media entertainment is significantly influenced by the perceived usefulness and social benefits. In addition, types of living arrangement significantly affect technology acceptance model of older adults.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Sophie Grenier ◽  
Louise Lafontaine ◽  
Andréanne Sharp

It is well known and documented that sensory perception decreases with age. In the elderly population, hearing loss and reduced vestibular function are among the most prevalently affected senses. Two important side effects of sensory deprivation are cognitive decline and decrease in social participation. Hearing loss, vestibular function impairment, and cognitive decline all lead to a decrease in social participation. Altogether, these problems have a great impact on the quality of life of the elderly. This is why a rehabilitation program covering all of these aspects would therefore be useful for clinicians. It is well known that long-term music training can lead to cortical plasticity. Behavioral improvements have been measured for cognitive abilities and sensory modalities (auditory, motor, tactile, and visual) in healthy young adults. Based on these findings, it is possible to wonder if this kind of multisensory training would be an interesting therapy to not only improve communication but also help with posture and balance, cognitive abilities, and social participation. The aim of this review is to assess and validate the impact of music therapy in the context of hearing rehabilitation in older adults. Musical therapy seems to have a positive impact on auditory perception, posture and balance, social integration, and cognition. While the benefits seem obvious, the evidence in the literature is scarce. However, there is no reason not to recommend the use of music therapy as an adjunct to audiological rehabilitation in the elderly when possible. Further investigations are needed to conclude on the extent of the benefits that music therapy could bring to older adults. More data are needed to confirm which hearing abilities can be improved based on the many characteristics of hearing loss. There is also a need to provide a clear protocol for clinicians on how this therapy should be administered to offer the greatest possible benefits.


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