Abstract
BackgroundThe use of Internet protocol television (IPTV) as a channel for consumer health information is a relatively under-explored area of medical Internet research. IPTV may afford new opportunities for health care service providers to provide health information and for consumers, patients, and caretakers to access health information. The technologies of Web 2.0 add a new and even less explored dimension to IPTV’s potential.ObjectiveOur research explored an application of Web 2.0 integrated with IPTV for personalized home-based health information in diabetes education, particularly for people with diabetes who are not strong computer and Internet users, and thus may miss out on Web-based resources. We wanted to establish whether this system could enable diabetes educators to deliver personalized health information directly to people with diabetes in their homes; and whether this system could encourage people with diabetes who make little use of Web-based health information to build their health literacy via the interface of a home television screen and remote control.MethodsThis project was undertaken as design-based research in two stages. Stage 1 comprised a feasibility study into the technical work required to integrate an existing Web 2.0 platform with an existing IPTV system, populated with content and implemented for user trials in a laboratory setting. Stage 2 comprised an evaluation of the system by consumers and providers of diabetes information.ResultsThe project succeeded in developing a Web 2.0 IPTV system for people with diabetes and low literacies and their diabetes educators. The performance of the system in the laboratory setting gave them the confidence to engage seriously in thinking about the actual and potential features and benefits of a more widely-implemented system. In their feedback they pointed out a range of critical usability and usefulness issues related to Web 2.0 affordances and learning fundamentals. They also described their experiences with the system in terms that bode well for its educational potential, and they suggested many constructive improvements to the system.ConclusionsThe integration of Web 2.0 and IPTV merits further technical development, business modeling, and health services and health outcomes research, as a solution to extend the reach and scale of home-based health care.
Highlights
Broadcast television has an almost universal presence and prevalent influence in homes
People with diabetes made a number of suggestions about improving the SeeCare Ericsson Internet protocol television (IPTV) (S-IPTV) log-in process and the graphical user interface, researchers were not so concerned with this aspect of the pilot implementation as with more fundamental system quality observations
JMIR Res Protoc 2014 | vol 3 | iss. 1 | e13 | p.9 and it has made an original contribution to expanding knowledge about the design of IPTV 2.0 for health care, and about its implementation in a realistic setting. This was the first study of its kind to address consumer health information needs by building a working IPTV system that integrates Web 2.0 technologies, conducting an implementation trial with health information providers and their clients, and evaluating the user experience
Summary
Broadcast television has an almost universal presence and prevalent influence in homes It remains the preferred mass information and communication medium among substantial numbers of people who do not use an Internet-connected device as their primary source of news and entertainment. Objective: Our research explored an application of Web 2.0 integrated with IPTV for personalized home-based health information in diabetes education, for people with diabetes who are not strong computer and Internet users, and may miss out on Web-based resources. The performance of the system in the laboratory setting gave them the confidence to engage seriously in thinking about the actual and potential features and benefits of a more widely-implemented system In their feedback they pointed out a range of critical usability and usefulness issues related to Web 2.0 affordances and learning fundamentals.
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