Dimensions Of Comfort Research Articles

The Effects of Comfort-Based Interventions (Back Massage and Patient and Family Education) on the Level of Comfort Among Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Providing patients with comfort is the basis of nursing care and a favorable outcome of nursing care measures. Comfort is of special importance to hemodialysis patients because they spend a large part of their lives in hemodialysis units and are constantly dealing with different physical and mental health problems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of comfort-based interventions (back massage along with patient and family education) on the level of comfort among hemodialysis patients. Methods: As a randomized controlled trial, this study was undertaken in 2016 in the hemodialysis unit of Shahid Chamran hospital, Ferdows, Iran. A convenience sample of forty hemodialysis patients was recruited. Patients were alternately allocated to control or intervention groups based on their hemodialysis days. The hospice comfort questionnaire was completed for all participants at the beginning and at the end of the study. This questionnaire showed that the comfort needs of patients were related to muscle cramps, headache, back pain, nausea, lack of knowledge about arteriovenous fistula care, dietary and treatment regimens, itching, rest and sleep disorders, and impaired comfort. Patients in the intervention group received massage as well as patient and family education in six consecutive hemodialysis sessions, while their counterparts in the control group solely received the routine care services of the study setting. The SPSS software (v. 18.0) was used for data analysis through running the paired- and the independent-sample t tests. The significance level was set at less than 0.05. Results: The mean scores of comfort and its environmental and psychospiritual dimensions significantly increased in the intervention group (P 0.05). However, after the intervention, there were significant between-group differences in the mean scores of comfort and its environmental dimension as well as in the pretest-posttest mean difference for the environmental dimension of comfort.

Comodidad de los pacientes hospitalizados en unidades de cuidado intensivo e intermedio

Objetivo: Asociar los factores sociodemográficos a las dimensiones de la comodidad (físico, social, psicoespiritual y ambiental) de los pacientes hospitalizados en las Unidades de Cuidado Intensivo e Intermedio. <br /><br />Metodología: Estudio analítico transversal, realizado a 160 pacientes hospitalizados en las Unidades de Cuidado Intensivo e intermedio de cuatro instituciones de la ciudad de Cartagena, durante los meses de Julio a Septiembre del 2014. Se utilizaron dos instrumentos, la encuesta sociodemográfica y el cuestionario general de comodidad de Kolcaba. Se utilizaron la estadística descriptiva y una prueba de regresión logística para el manejo de los datos. <br /><br />Resultado: El 57,5% de los participantes fueron mujeres con 51,7 años como edad promedio, con pareja estable el 76.9%, secundaria (incompleta y completa) el 43.4%. Predominó en los participantes, el tipo de confort trascendencia en las dimensiones social, psicoespiritual y física y en la dimensión ambiental el tipo de confort alcanzado fue la tranquilidad. Se encontró asociación entre las dimensiones física, social y ambiental con ser de un estrato socioeconómico mayor que 2 y contar con estudios de secundaria o superiores. La dimensión psicoespiritual no presentó asociación con los factores sociodemográficos.<br /><br />Conclusiones: Los pacientes hospitalizados en la UCI o en la UCIN con un mayor estrato socioeconómico presentaron menor probabilidad de sentir comodidad durante su hospitalización; en la dimensión social, los pacientes con mayor educación tuvieron mayor probabilidad de sentirse cómodo. El pertenecer a un estrato socioeconómico mayor que 2, reduce la probabilidad de que el paciente hospitalizado se sienta cómodo en las dimensiones ambiental y física.<br /><br />

Shopping Experience of Hypermarket Shoppers on Weekends

Improving the retail customer shopping experience in hypermarkets, especially in weekends is a key to enhance the performance of retail stores. The present research focused on hypermarket shoppers to measure the customer shopping experiences with different dimensions of customer shopping experiences by establishing a research framework based on 366 user responses. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to analyze and validate the proposed research framework. The paper is a first of its kind to discuss the various dimensions of customer shopping experience, especially in Bhopal city (Central India). The research findings showed that the customer shopping experiences are unpredictable and are positively influenced by enjoyment, emotional attachment, comfort, uniqueness, and impulsiveness dimensions of customer shopping experiences. Therefore, this study would help hypermarket retailers to focus on these constructs, which are considered as an important dimension of the customer shopping experience, and would help the retailers in gaining a competitive advantage, attracting new customers, and to hold their profitable customers by enhancing customer shopping experiences in the current retail scenario.

Effect of Perioperative Pregabalin on Postoperative Quality of Recovery in Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (OPCABG): A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial

Use of pregabalin is increasing in cardiac surgical patients. However, studies using comprehensive scoring systems are lacking on the drug's impact on postoperative recovery. The authors tested the hypothesis that perioperative oral pregabalin improves the postoperative quality of recovery as assessed using the Quality of Recovery (QoR-40) questionnaire in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG). This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Tertiary-care hospital. Patients undergoing OPCABG. Patients were assigned randomly to the following 2 groups: the pregabalin group (those who received pregabalin, 150 mg capsule orally, 1 hour before surgery and 2 days postoperatively [75 mg twice a day] starting after extubation; n = 37); and the control group (those who received 2 similar-looking multivitamin capsules at similar times; n = 34). The QoR-40 scores were noted preoperatively and 24 hours after extubation. Both groups were comparable in terms of preoperative patient characteristics and baseline QoR-40 scores. Global scores were significantly improved in the pregabalin group compared with the control group in the postoperative period (177±9 v 170±9; p = 0.002). QoR-40 values in the dimensions of emotional state (p = 0.005), physical comfort (p = 0.04), and pain (p = 0.02) were improved in the pregabalin group. Perioperative pregabalin improved postoperative quality of recovery as assessed using the QoR-40 questionnaire in patients undergoing OPCABG. Perioperative pregabalin offered advantages beyond better pain control, such as improved physical comfort and better emotional state; therefore, the drug's use in the perioperative period is recommended.

Neurophysiological correlates of embodiment and motivational factors during the perception of virtual architectural environments.

The recent efforts aimed at providing neuroscientific explanations of how people perceive and experience architectural environments have largely justified the initial belief in the value of neuroscience for architecture. However, a systematic development of a coherent theoretical and experimental framework is missing. To investigate the neurophysiological reactions related to the appreciation of ambiances, we recorded the electroencephalographic (EEG) signals in an immersive virtual reality during the appreciation of interior designs. Such data have been analyzed according to the working hypothesis that appreciated environments involve embodied simulation mechanisms and circuits mediating approaching stimuli. EEG recordings of 12 healthy subjects have been performed during the perception of three-dimensional interiors that have been simulated in a CAVE system and judged according to dimensions of familiarity, novelty, comfort, pleasantness, arousal and presence. A correlation analysis on personal judgmentsreturned that scores of novelty, pleasantness and comfort are positively correlated, while familiarity and novelty are in negative way. Statistical spectral maps reveal that pleasant, novel and comfortable interiors produce a de-synchronization of the mu rhythm over left sensorimotor areas. Interiors judged more pleasant and less familiar generate an activation of left frontal areas (theta and alpha bands), along an involvement of areas devoted to spatial navigation. An increase in comfort returns an enhancement of the theta frontal midline activity. Cerebral activations underlying appreciation of architecture could involve different mechanisms regulating corporeal, emotional and cognitive reactions. Therefore, it might be suggested that people's experience of architectural environments is intrinsically structured by the possibilities for action.

Digestive Symptoms in Healthy People and Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Validation of Symptom Frequency Questionnaire.

Goals:The aim of this study was to validate the ability of symptom frequency questionnaire to differentiate between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects.Background:A digestive symptom frequency questionnaire (DSFQ) was previously used in a food efficacy trial in a non-IBS population with mild gastrointestinal symptoms.Study:We compared 2 well-defined populations: 100 IBS patients fulfilling Rome III criteria (mean age 32 y; range, 18 to 59 y), and 100 sex-matched and age-matched healthy subjects. Frequency of individual digestive symptoms (abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, flatulence, borborygmi) was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (from none to everyday of the week) and the IBS severity with the IBS-SSS questionnaire. Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the Food and Benefits Assessment (FBA) and Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life (FDDQL) questionnaires. The digestive (dis)comfort dimension of these questionnaires was considered as the main dimension for HRQoL.Results:The DSFQ discriminated IBS from healthy subjects with a significant difference (P<0.001) between groups (estimated mean difference=5.58; 95% CI, 4.91-6.28). On the basis of the ROC curve (AUC=0.9479), a cutoff value of 5 gives a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 84%, with a positive likelihood ratio of 5.75. Composite score of symptoms correlated strongly (P<0.0001) with digestive discomfort measured by FDDQL (−0.816), digestive comfort measured by FBA (−0.789), and the IBS-SSS score (0.762).Conclusions:Measurement of digestive symptom frequency by means of the DSFQ can differentiate IBS from healthy subjects, and shows a good correlation with other validated questionnaires (clinical trial #NCT01457378).

Effect of seamless nursing model on treatment compliance and comfort among patients with maintenance hemodialysis

Objective To investigate the seamless nursing model impact on the treatment compliance and comfort in patients with maintenance hemodialysis. Methods A total of 100 hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into two groups: intervention group and control group, 50 cases in each group. The seamless nursing model from the hospital to home was used in the intervention group while the routine health education was implemented to the control group. The treatment compliance and comfort in patients in two groups were respectively evaluated before and after intervention of 3 months. Results Five aspects of treatment compliance behaviors were compared between the intervention group and control group after intervention 3 months later, including reasonable diet (96.0% vs 80.0%, χ2=6.06, P<0.05), regular exercise (88.0% vs 60.0%) (χ2=10.18, P<0.01), the correct medication (92.0% vs 72.0%, χ2=6.77, P<0.01), self-monitoring (94.0% vs 72.0%, χ2=8.58, P<0.01), and self adjustment (96.0% vs 64.0%, χ2=16.10, P<0.01). Five dimensions of comfort, included physiological comfort, psychological comfort, social comfort, environment comfortable, and the overall comfort between two groups were compared. The data of intervention group were (28.15±1.28), (32.11±3.17), (25.41±3.12), (15.21±1.05), and (88.28±1.87) while the data of control group were (18.16±3.24), (22.58±3.19), (19.32±2.19), (12.21±1.48), and (72.91±1.44) (t=2.514 8, 3.796 5, 8.294 7, 5.921 8, 26.605 5, respectively; P<0.05). Conclusions The application of the whole seamless nursing model can improve patient′s treatment compliance and relationship, change their bad behavior, and relieve anxiety. Thus, it can reduce the incidence of complications and greatly improve patient comfort and quality of life. Key words: Hemodialysis; Quality of life; Seamless nursing; Comfort

PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PASIEN RAWAT INAP DALAM MENGGUNAKAN JASA

Background: in Indonesia the hospital as one of the health care system in outline to provide services to mesyarakat. Many factors are considered in choosing, but one way to attract customers and win the competition is to provide quality services in accordance with customer wishes. Patients and families will repeat visits if they feel satisfied, on the contrary will be disappointed, angry and hurt if dissatisfied.Methods: This study is a quantitative descriptive of a study using primary data and secondary data. The primary data obtained through interviews, questionnaires on each ward in the Hospital Nur Hidayah Bantul, Yogyakarta. While secondary data obtained from the data through the document. Results: that significant value for comfort dimension (X1) is greater than the value of α (0.05) for 0284 from the test showed that there was no influence on the decision of inpatients in using the services of Nur Hidayah Hospital in Bantul, Yogyakarta. For information dimensions variable (X2) obtained significance value (sig) is smaller than the value of α (0.05) of 0.038., Meaning that there is the effect of variable dimensions of information (X2) against the decision of the patient (Y) hospitalization in using the services of the Hospital Nur Hidayah Bantul, Yogyakarta. For variable dimensions of human relationships (X3) values obtained significance value (sig) is smaller than the value of α (0.05) 0.000. This means that there is influence of variable dimensions between humans (X3) against the decision of the patient (Y) hospitalization in using the services of Nur Hidayah Hospital in Bantul, Yogyakarta.From the test results obtained value F kesil significantly more than the value of α (0.05) 0.000. This means that the variable dimension of comfort (X1), the dimensions of information (X2), and the dimensions of human relationships (X3) simultaneously have significant influence on the decision of the patient (Y). And the results of the t test can be concluded that the most dominant variable is a variable dimension of human relationships (X3) with sig level of 0.000.

A Tale of Three Cities: Piloting a Measure of Effort and Comfort Levels within Town-Gown Relationships

This article extends the argument that scholarship on marriages and families provides invaluable insights into town-gown relationships. First, a four-square matrix constructed from the twin dimensions of effort and comfort levels is used to describe a typology of campus and community associations. Next the construction of the Optimal College Town Assessment (OCTA), a measure that contains items reflecting both the effort and comfort dimensions, is discussed. We offer an analysis of data from a pilot study utilizing the OCTA with a sample of 602 individuals employed in three communities surrounding the regional campus of a major university, with particular attention paid to variation as a function of distance from the campus. We include a discussion of the implications of the findings for assessment efforts targeting town-gown relationships.

Prospective randomized controlled trial of conventional laparoscopic versus laparoendoscopic single-site radical nephrectomy for localized renal cell carcinoma: a preliminary report regarding quality of life.

The safety and efficacy of laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have not been clearly demonstrated. We aimed to present preliminary data from a prospective randomized controlled trial of LESS versus conventional laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for localized RCC. Patients with cT1-2 RCC were randomized to LESS (n = 17) or conventional laparoscopy (n = 18) group. The short-term outcome measures assessed were perioperative morbidity, postoperative pain, and quality of recovery as determined using QoR-40. No significant differences were observed between the LESS and conventional laparoscopy groups with respect to operative time (143.5 vs. 126.1 min, p = 0.218), blood loss (143.6 vs. 118.2 ml, p = 0.121), hospital stay (3.8 vs. 3.1 day s, p = 0.170), analgesic requirements (63.2 vs. 60.0 mg, p = 0.956), and complication rates (26.7 vs. 22.2 %, p = 0.767). However, postoperative quality of recovery was better in the LESS group (176.4 vs. 152.6, p = 0.005). Furthermore, quality of recovery, as measured using the QoR-40 dimensions of emotional state (39.9 vs. 34.0, p = 0.003), physical comfort (51.9 vs. 46.7, p = 0.034), psychological support (32.2 vs. 25.8, p = 0.003), and physical independence (20.7 vs. 17.5, p = 0.047), but not pain (31.8 vs. 29.6, p = 0.259), was significantly better in the LESS group. The preliminary results from this prospective trial suggest that LESS could be a safe and effective treatment option for localized RCC with equivalent surgical outcomes and improved postoperative quality of recovery compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery.

Effect of comprehensive psychological intervention in relieving pain in floating women underwent induced abortion

Objective To explore the effect of comprehensive psychological intervention on painrelieving and comfort-enhancing in floating women who underwent induced abortion operation.Methods A total of 160 floating women who underwent induced abortion were randomly divided into observation group and control group.In observation group,comprehensive psychological intervention was conducted,including preoperative health education,relaxation exercise,music intervention and postoperative nursing care in semi-Fowler' s position; while in control group,the routine procedure of postoperative nursing care in horizontal position was performed.The levels of pain and comfort of two groups were compared.Results There was significant difference in pain-relieving between two groups (P ＜ 0.05).In terms of comfort,the physiological and psychological dimensions in observation group were significantly better than those in control group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Comprehensive psychological intervention can relieve floating women' s pain and enhance their comfort while undergoing induced abortion operation. Key words: Comprehensive psychological intervention; Induced abortion; Pain-relieving; Research

Understanding the travel experience and its impact on attitudes, emotions and loyalty towards the transportation provider–A quantitative study with mid-distance bus trips

Enhancing the travel experience has become a crucial consideration for transportation companies to promote differentiation and customer loyalty. Therefore, transport planners, providers and manufacturers in general are becoming aware of the significance of understanding the passenger experience better, in order to improve transit policies, management and vehicles. The holistic perspective of the travel experience is conceptualized as involving: (1) a thorough set of passenger internal responses (e.g. cognitive and emotional) that are driven by experience factors, some of which are (2) aspects that are not in complete control of the transportation provider, such as waiting areas or the social environment, during (3) all the moments before, throughout and after the trip. Although transportation research has studied the different aspects of transportation quality, empirical studies with such a broad approach to the travel experience and its impact on loyalty are still scarce.This article takes a scale development approach to conceptualize, develop and test a multiple-item scale for measuring the travel experience from the defined holistic perspective, analyzing its perceptual dimensions and outcomes based on a quantitative study with 1226 passengers of a mid-distance bus transportation service. The travel experience scale demonstrates good psychometric properties and consists of 28 items aggregated into seven dimensions or experience factors: individual space, information provision, staff's skills, social environment, vehicle maintenance, off-board facilities, and ticket line service.The study shows that all seven experience factors have a significant impact on customer cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses to the transportation service, highlighting the importance of a broad approach to the study and management of the travel experience. The classical dimensions of individual comfort and vehicle maintenance are the ones with the strongest impact on experience outcomes, showing that transportation providers should maintain a strong focus on providing a good core service. However, other factors such as the social environment have an influence on emotions, which in turn affect loyalty to the transportation provider. These results show the need for a careful study and management of the different aspects of the travel experience, and an integrated design and management of the transport system as a whole.

The Comfort Dimension; a Review of Perception in Clothing

AbstractFor a clothing system, comfort is a fundamental necessity. In this paper, basic definitions and elements of clothing comfort and the general research trends were reviewed. In particular, understanding comfort of textile materials, its relevance to clothing choice and some assessment methods have been discussed. The impact of fabric and clothing attributes on clothing comfort was explored. Psychological, physical and physiological perceptions of clothing comfort were reviewed, including subjective and objective modes of assessment. A thorough discussion of handle comfort was presented, including assessment methods. Statistical presentations from selected comfort studies were also reviewed. Other sensory comfort properties particularly acoustic and appearance were also mentioned. From the aforementioned reviews, it was noted that the main focus for most researchers has been on sensorial and thermal comfort.Practical ApplicationsTo comfort researchers, this review gives resourceful insights relevant to subject selection and the general research trend on clothing comfort. For clothing manufacturers, the compiled consumer feedbacks by wearers of particular clothing are tools for product improvement to enhance utility. Finally, this review informs consumers about clothing comfort, which will contribute to informed decision making during purchasing.

The future of trucking technology in Brazil: results of a technology forecasting model

The aim of this article is to identify a set of technological events related to the Brazilian truck fleet that are well placed hierarchically regarding their possibility of occurrence and pertinence for the horizon year of 2021. For this we propose and apply a Technology Forecasting Model for trucks (called TFM/Trucks) based on the Delphi technique, considering 28 technological events associated with six internal forecasting dimensions: safety, efficient use of energy and alternative fuels, materials technology, operational schemes, comfort and environment. The ranking of the technological events, considering hypothetical situations for analysis, indicate significant concern over the safety dimension, with four of the five events (passive safety and active safety) classified among the 10 events with the greatest chance of occurring and pertinence, irrespective of the panelists' degree of specialization. The environmental dimension, with respect to the predominance of electric powered trucks with lower level of atmospheric pollutants, was always in one of the first two positions, regardless of the situation studied. In the final ranking, the five best-classified events represented the dimensions of safety, environment, materials technology and comfort, with environment and passive safety predominating.

Tu2074 Assessment of Digestive Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy People and Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Validation of Symptom Frequency Questionnaire

Objectives: Digestive symptoms (DS) are widely observed in the general population with different degrees of frequency and severity from healthy subjects and to patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A DS questionnaire assessing the frequency of 4 DS was previously used in a non-IBS population with mild gastrointestinal discomfort to test the efficacy of a probiotic dairy food. Aim: The present study was designed to determine the ability of this DS frequency questionnaire to discriminate IBS patients from healthy subjects and compare this questionnaire with other validated questionnaires measuring similar concept. Methods: We compared 100 IBS patients according to Rome III (mean age 32 (18-59), and 100 matched (sex and age) healthy subjects. Frequency of individual DS (abdominal pain/ discomfort, bloating, flatulence, borborygmi) was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (from none to every day of the week) and IBS severity with the IBS-SSS questionnaire. Two HealthRelated Quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaires were filled out: the Food and Benefits Assessment questionnaire (FBA) and Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life (FDDQL). The digestive (dis)comfort dimension of the 2 questionnaires was considered as the main dimension for the analysis. Correlations were tested using the Spearman non parametric test. Results: The DS frequency questionnaire discriminated IBS from healthy subjects with a significant difference (p,0.001) between groups (estimated mean difference = 5.58, 95%CI [4.91; 6.28]). Based on the ROC curve (AUC = 0.9479), a cut off value of 5 gives a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 84% with a positive likelihood ratio of 5.75. Composite score of DS correlated strongly (p,0.0001) with digestive discomfort measured by FDDQL (0.816), digestive comfort measured by FBA (-0.789) and the IBS-SSS score (0.762). Conclusions: Measurement of digestive symptom frequency by means of an original questionnaire can discriminate IBS patients from healthy subjects and provides a relevant evaluation of the impact of the disease.

Gastrointestinal well-being in subjects reporting mild gastrointestinal discomfort: characteristics and properties of a global assessment measure

There is a lack of recognised markers for measuring gastrointestinal (GI) well-being and digestive symptoms in the general population. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate construct validity of a global assessment tool of GI well-being. In this randomised double-blind study, 197 adult women consumed either a probiotic fermented milk or a control dairy product daily during 4 weeks. GI well-being was assessed weekly using a single question and subjects indicated whether their GI well-being remained the same, improved or worsened compared with the baseline period. Responders for GI well-being were subjects reporting improvement for at least 2 weeks of the 4 weeks of intervention. Frequency of individual digestive symptoms was assessed weekly. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Subjects reporting improvement of their GI well-being had a significantly (P<0·05) lower frequency of combined digestive symptoms than individuals with no change, whereas subjects with worsened GI well-being had a significantly (P<0·05) higher digestive symptom frequency. Number of weeks with reported GI well-being improvement was significantly (P<0·05) correlated with the decrease in digestive symptoms (r 0·58) and the HRQoL digestive comfort dimension (r 0·47). When compared with non-responders, responders had significantly (P<0·0001) fewer average digestive symptoms and higher scores on digestive comfort of the HRQoL questionnaire. The data provide construct validity for a single-item questionnaire as a measure of GI well-being improvement. These data support the use of this questionnaire as an end point for nutritional intervention in the general population.

Perceived Satisfaction with Public Transport Service in Nine European Cities

The present study provides a transnational comparison of the perceived service satisfaction with public transport in eight European countries. Data was collected from 9,542 respondents in Stockholm, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Geneva, Helsinki, Vienna, Berlin, Manchester, and Oslo. The respondents rated their agreement with 17 attribute-related statements regarding local public transport services. Using factor analysis, this study identifies the four satisfaction dimensions of system, comfort, staff, and safety, which were present in most, but not all of the cities. These findings indicate that there are differences in how public transport is perceived. This needs to be addressed in order to make comparison meaningful. Different explanations for these diverse findings are discussed.

Constructing Indices Representing Physical Attributes for Walking in Urban Neighborhood Area

Physical attributes for walkable urban neighborhood required summary of indices. The development of indices is based on hierarchy of walking need theory which applies dimensions of accessibility, safety, comfort and pleasurability. The aim of this research is to construct indices of physical attributes by detecting differential item functioning (DIF) base on respondent's demographic factors and their perceived environment. The findings using the Rasch model has dropped 16 items and maintains 20 items that reliable to gauge the 4 dimensions. This research could be used to obtain indices in a justly manner and become an indicator for walkable urban neighbourhood model.

Preoperative Dexamethasone Enhances Quality of Recovery After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Murphy, Glenn S.*; Szokol, Joseph W.*; Greenberg, Steven B.*; Avram, Michael J.†; Vender, Jeffery S.*; Nisman, Margarita*; Vaughn, Jessica* Author Information

A Human Factors Study of Technology Acceptance of a Prototype Mobile Augmented Reality System for Science Education

This paper presents a novel implementation of an extended technology acceptance model to gain insight into user perceptions, attitudes and beliefs toward a mobile augmented reality system for science education. Results were collected during the initial testing of a prototype system, with the specific intent to diagnose misspecifications of user requirements, receive appropriate feedback and integrate it within the design lifecycle of the product. The research model used in this study monitored several affective, motivational and cognitive factors of user acceptance. Findings from the study show that the augmented technology acceptance model accurately represents student evaluation and reactions, even after a short initial experience of hands-on usage of the system. Empirical evidence supports moderating effects upon the core perceptual constructs by taking into account wearability aspects across dimensions of user comfort and exertion, and gender differences as well.