Tablet Devices Research Articles

Abstract 25: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity in Florida firefighters

Abstract Background/Objective: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are hazardous synthetic chemicals that have been linked to adverse human health effects such as cancer and endocrine disruption. Firefighters have been shown to be occupationally exposed to PFAS through aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used during difficult-to-suppress fires, and in the textile liners of their safety turnout gear. PFASs have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemical structures, giving them strong thermal stability and making them resistant to environmental and physiological degradation. Studies of human exposures to PFAS have observed associations between some PFAS and increased risk of obesity or elevated body mass index (BMI). Given the unique occupational exposures of firefighters to PFAS, we examine the association between obesity and PFAS in a sample of Florida firefighters. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to collect a health survey and a blood sample from a non-probabilistic sample of career Florida fighters between June and October 2021. The health surveys, administered on REDCap using tablet devices, assessed information on firefighter socio-demographic and work characteristics. We quantified 7 distinct PFASs using a solid-phase extraction-high-performance liquid chromatography-isotope dilution-tandem mass spectrometry approach; the limit of detection was between 0.5 and 0.05 ng/mL, depending on the analyte. All 7 PFASs, including Perfluorobutanesulfonic Acid (PFBS), Perfluoroheptanoic Acid (PFHpA), Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS), Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFNA), Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA), Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS), and Perfluoroctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in the blood samples; concentrations below the limit of detection were replaced by the limit of detection/√2.35. Results: Among the 208 firefighters who completed the survey and provided a blood sample, 92.8% were male, 16.2% Hispanic/Latinx, 81.7% White, 89.8% used AFFF at their fire department, with a group mean age 40.2±10.3 standard deviation. Approximately 15.8% of firefighters were of healthy weight, 51.5% overweight, and 32.7% obese. Firefighter body mass index was positively correlated with serum concentrations of PFHxS (rs=.17;p=.020) and PFBS (rs=.60;p=.26). Group geometric mean of each PFAS congener (in ng/mL): PFBS (0.09), PFHpA (0.08), PFHxS (2.17), PFOA (1.38), PFNA (0.42), PFOS (2.69), and PFOSA (0.10). Total serum PFAS concentrations was highest among obese firefighters (7.62 ng/mL) and lowest in healthy weight firefighters (6.55 ng/mL). Conclusions: Firefighters who were overweight and obese, based on body mass index, had higher total serum PFAS concentrations than those firefighters of healthy weight. Both long- and short-chain PFASs, PFHxS and PFBS respectively, were positively correlated with firefighter body mass index. Citation Format: Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, Paola Louzado Feliciano, Simi Oduwole, Natasha Schaefer Solle, Catalina Gonzalez-Umana, Thomas Stone, Erin N. Kobetz. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity in Florida firefighters [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 25.

Prevalence and Correlates of Tobacco Use in Young People Presenting to Australian Primary Mental Health Services.

In Australian youth primary mental health settings it is unclear as to the rates and correlates of tobacco use at service entry. We aimed to delineate the prevalence and correlates of recent tobacco use (eg, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, etc) in the past 3 months in young people at their first presentation to primary mental health services as a function of age. Cross-sectional self-report measures were collected using a tablet device from young people presenting to one of five Australian primary mental health (headspace) services. Logistic regression assessed correlates of past 3-month tobacco use in adolescents (12-17 years) and young adults (18-25 years). Regular (at least monthly) tobacco use in the past 3 months was found in 23.4% (n = 247, N = 1055) of the sample. Increasing age (odds ratio [OR] =1.47 per year; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15 to 1.89), male sex (OR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.02 to 3.83), being in a relationship (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.01 to 3.82), and poorer functioning (OR = 0.95 per unit Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale increase; 95% CI: 0.91 to 0.99) predicted regular tobacco use in adolescents, but not in young adults. Living in a regional location (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.40 to 3.13) and not studying (OR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.73) predicted tobacco use in young adults. Having a diagnosed mental illness other than depression and/or anxiety predicted tobacco use in both groups (adolescents OR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.26 to 4.94; young adults OR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.89). Nearly a quarter of young people with mental illness are using tobacco, supporting the need for early intervention approaches. Adapting treatment targets by age could improve the impact of interventions in adolescents versus young adults. Poor functioning and lack of engagement in education were associated with tobacco use in both age groups, respectively; however, more research is needed to determine the direction of these relationships. Young people with mental illness have a high prevalence of recent tobacco use and this is evident when they first present to youth primary mental health services. Youth-oriented mental health settings may provide a unique window for tobacco use prevention and early intervention to reduce smoking in people with mental illness, a priority population. Age-specific targeted approaches might be needed in adolescents and young adults.

The Efficiency of Internet Base Healthcare System in Gastroenterological diseases: An Updated Systematic Review

Digital health systems such as tablet devices, smartphones, and online websites, are swiftly transforming the practice of medical science and reshaping health care approaches. A PRISMA guidelines-based systematic review was conducted using research databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) to identify the applications and fill the literature gap in Gastroenterological disorders. A total of 212 articles were searched, excluding duplicate records, sixty nine articles were founded out of which only fifteen were selected using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Risk of a bias assessment tool called ROBVIS 2 is used to examine the risk of predisposition and precision of all the fifteen studies included. Most of the patients in these trials were females, educated, and have inflammatory bowel diseases. These clinical studies concentrated on Ulcerative colitis (n=5), Crohn's disease (n=4), and inflammatory bowel disease (n=6) with feedback of mostly 3 months (n=5) and 6 months (n=5). The internet-based intervention varied from study to study but the outcomes in each study were clear that either this system was efficient or not. Based on the searched literature and selected studies it was concluded that online health technologies can effectively cope with Gastroenterological disorders and patients with digestive disorders have shown good acceptability and pleasure in all the selected studies. Keywords: eHealth technologies, Digestive disorders, Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Review

Could Head-mounted Cameras Be to Plastic Surgeons What a Laparoscope Is to Abdominal Surgeons?

As surgery becomes more minimally invasive, there are more opportunities to perform surgery through small skin incisions. However, only the surgeon can see the surgical field directly and sometimes the assistant needs to provide blind assistance. The main surgeon is required to adjust the position of the hooks that the assistant pulls as the surgery proceeds. The accumulation of these tasks prolongs the operation time and improper assistance can make the surgeon miss bleeding spots and cause postoperative hematoma. In this report, we present our experience sharing the surgical field with assistants and nurses using a head-mounted camera. A head-mounted wireless camera FM-105 (Faspro Systems Co., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan) was used in the surgery. Use of a camera-specific application allows the observers to monitor a live view of the video and recording. The video taken by the head-mounted camera was transferred to a laptop computer via Bluetooth, and the computer screen was projected to an external monitor in the operating room via an HDMI port. The assistant supported the surgeon while referring to the surgeon’s field of view on the screen (Fig. 1).Fig. 1.: Photograph of the head mounted camera used in this study. The camera and LED light are mounted in the middle. The captured images can be sent to a computer, tablet, or other devices via Bluetooth.The video taken by the camera was projected on the screen in real time, allowing the assistant to provide precise and timely support. Because the head-mounted camera was equipped with lighting, the surgical field was brightly illuminated, making ceiling-mounted lighting unnecessary. (See Video [online], which displays a scene of reanimation surgery for left facial palsy using a latissimus dorsi muscle flap. The surgeon is creating a narrow tunnel under the skin of the cheek. The video taken by the camera was projected on the screen in real time, allowing the assistant to provide precise support.) {"href":"Single Video Player","role":"media-player-id","content-type":"play-in-place","position":"float","orientation":"portrait","label":"Video 1","caption":"displays a scene of reanimation surgery for left facial palsy using a latissimus dorci muscle flap. The surgeon is creating a narrow tunnel under the skin of the cheek. The video taken by the camera was projected on the screen on real time, allowing the assistant to provide precise support","object-id":[{"pub-id-type":"doi","id":""},{"pub-id-type":"other","content-type":"media-stream-id","id":"1_awqhmybv"},{"pub-id-type":"other","content-type":"media-source","id":"Kaltura"}]} The use of high-definition video in surgical education is becoming popular.1–3 In recent years, operating rooms have been equipped with external cameras installed on the ceiling to capture videos of surgeries, providing a bird’s eye view. However, some procedures have very narrow surgical fields, such as cleft lip surgery, hand surgery, and muscle flap elevation performed through a small skin incision; the surgeon’s head often blocks the camera, and he is the only one who can directly see the surgical field. Recently, laparoscopy has become popular in abdominal surgery.4 The advantage of endoscopic surgery is that the surgeon and his assistants can see the same image of the surgical field through the camera. On the other hand, endoscopes are not commonly used in plastic surgery, where the body surface is often the site of surgery. Head-mounted cameras have been used to store surgical images for educational and academic presentations. In recent years, with the development of Bluetooth and other communication technologies, cameras are no longer limited to recording images; rather, they can also transmit images and videos to a computer or tablet in real time. There are several reports on the recording of surgical images using commercially available body cameras.2,3 However, when used in surgery, the surgeon may become fatigued due to the camera’s weight, and the quality of the video may deteriorate. A camera designed for surgery can accurately capture surgical images from the surgeon’s point of view, since the camera is placed between his eyes. By using Bluetooth to share videos and images, the head-mounted camera can be used like a laparoscope for abdominal surgeons. DISCLOSURE The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article.

5G SAR-Reduction MIMO Antenna With High Isolation for Full Metal-Rimmed Tablet Device

5G SAR-Reduction MIMO Antenna With High Isolation for Full Metal-Rimmed Tablet Device

Technology-Mediated Enrichment in Aged Care: Survey and Interview Study.

BackgroundDigital technologies such as virtual reality (VR), humanoid robots, and digital companion pets have the potential to provide social and emotional enrichment for people living in aged care. However, there is currently limited knowledge about how technologies are being used to provide enrichment, what benefits they provide, and what challenges arise when deploying these technologies in aged care settings.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate how digital technologies are being used for social and emotional enrichment in the Australian aged care industry and identify the benefits and challenges of using technology for enrichment in aged care.MethodsA web-based survey (N=20) was distributed among people working in the Australian aged care sector. The survey collected information about the types of technologies being deployed and their perceived value. The survey was followed by semistructured interviews (N=12) with aged care workers and technology developers to investigate their experiences of deploying technologies with older adults living in aged care. Survey data were analyzed using summary descriptive statistics and categorizing open-ended text responses. Interview data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThe survey revealed that a range of commercial technologies, such as VR, tablet devices, and mobile phones, are being used in aged care to support social activities and provide entertainment. Respondents had differing views about the value of emerging technologies, such as VR, social robots, and robot pets, but were more united in their views about the value of videoconferencing. Interviews revealed 4 types of technology-mediated enrichment experiences: enhancing social engagement, virtually leaving the care home, reconnecting with personal interests, and providing entertainment and distraction. Our analysis identified 5 barriers: resource constraints, the need to select appropriate devices and apps, client challenges, limited staff and organizational support, and family resistance.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that technologies can be used in aged care to create personally meaningful enrichment experiences for aged care clients. To maximize the effectiveness of technology-mediated enrichment, we argue that a person-centered care approach is crucial. Although enrichment experiences can be created using available technologies, they must be carefully selected and co-deployed with aged care clients. However, significant changes may be required within organizations to allow caregivers to facilitate individual technology-based activities for enrichment.

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF MATERIALS FOR CHILDREN TO REDUCE THE TABLET DEVICE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS

In Japanese schools, there is a problem that teachers are overburdened. Therefore to reduce teachers’ workloads, this study developed online video teaching materials to assist students to troubleshoot their tablet device operational issues. To develop the teaching materials, we first conducted a questionnaire survey among teachers to understand what kind of operational problems were occurring with tablets in the classroom. We then developed the teaching materials based on the results. The evaluation of the teaching materials was conducted through questionnaires and interviews with teachers. The results suggested that the video teaching materials were able to resolve many of the students’ problems and reduce the need for the teachers to deal with all tablet device technical problems.

Engaging with Maths Online - teaching mathematics collaboratively and inclusively through a pandemic and beyond

This case study details several concrete approaches to integrating the use of student-loaned iPads in the teaching of mathematics in Higher Education. Although there is a scarcity of rigorous studies into the efficacy of tablet devices for improved educational outcomes, previous case studies have argued that tablet devices, if used, should be integrated into the whole learning experience. The mathematics teaching team at Middlesex University have developed an inclusive digital pedagogy over the last five years that enabled us to effectively respond to the remote teaching imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic by loaning iPads to all students on specialist mathematics programmes. As we begin the return to campus, we continue to integrate these devices into our teaching to address the observed “digital divide” in Generation-Z students which is characterised not by access to smart devices but by the digital skills to use them as effective learning tools. This is particularly relevant at Middlesex University which is disproportionately affected by digital poverty amongst its student population. We discuss the use of virtual whiteboard apps, the necessity of handwritten mathematics, the rich integration of multimedia content, persistent collaborative “problem solving spaces”, and how a common hardware platform allows for varied and equitable inclusive assessment. We also report the results of students’ surveys of iPad use during the remote-only 2020-21 academic year.

Factors Affecting Teacher Acceptance of Tablets in Their Teaching Practice

The present study employs the technology acceptance model to explore secondary school teachers' perceptions towards acceptance of tablet devices in their teaching practice in the classroom. A questionnaire was completed by (N=80) secondary school teachers from South Africa, and the constructs related to technology acceptance were measured along with demographic variables. Results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in teachers' perceptions towards acceptance of tablets in their teaching practice across gender, age, and teaching experience. The findings also showed that the perceived usefulness construct has a high negative response towards the acceptance of tablets in their teaching practice. However, the findings also revealed that the perceived ease of use, attitude towards use, and behavioural intention are directly significant factors in teachers' perceptions towards accepting tablet devices in their teaching practice.

Democratising "Microscopi": a 3D printed automated XYZT fluorescence imaging system for teaching, outreach and fieldwork.

Commercial fluorescence microscope stands and fully automated XYZt fluorescence imaging systems are generally beyond the limited budgets available for teaching and outreach. We have addressed this problem by developing "Microscopi", an accessible, affordable, DIY automated imaging system that is built from 3D printed and commodity off-the-shelf hardware, including electro-mechanical, computer and optical components. Our design features automated sample navigation and image capture with a simple web-based graphical user interface, accessible with a tablet or other mobile device. The light path can easily be switched between different imaging modalities. The open source Python-based control software allows the hardware to be driven as an integrated imaging system. Furthermore, the microscope is fully customisable, which also enhances its value as a learning tool. Here, we describe the basic design and demonstrate imaging performance for a range of easily sourced specimens.

Trial-Period Technostress: A Conceptual Definition and Mixed-Methods Investigation

Application abstract: A large number of electronic devices are rejected and returned to the seller in the first weeks of trial use, which costs organizations millions of dollars. We aimed to identify the causes behind those returns and find that stress during the trial period is a major contributing factor. Users are stressed as they need to learn how to use the electronic device, integrate it into their daily life, and take care of privacy issues. All that creates stress and makes users feel unhappy with using the electronic device so that they will send it back to the seller. In particular, we see in our results that individuals who are not innovative in using IT in general and have a low willingness to learn using the new electronic device tend to send back electronic devices in the first weeks of the trial period. When discussing those results with individuals who had sent back tablet devices, we see that stress in the trial period can even overwhelm positive thoughts. So, with our results, we conclude that stress in the trial period has many causes that are often responsible for returning electronic devices.

Evaluation of a Web-Based Dietary Assessment Tool (myfood24) in Norwegian Women and Men Aged 60-74 Years: Usability Study.

BackgroundA healthy diet throughout the life course improves health and reduces the risk of disease. There is a need for new knowledge of the relation between diet and health, but existing methods to collect information on food and nutrient intake have their limitations. Evaluations of new tools to assess dietary intake are needed, especially in old people, where the introduction of new technology might impose challenges.ObjectiveWe aimed to examine the usability of a new web-based dietary assessment tool in older adult women and men.MethodsA total of 60 women and men (participation 83%, 57% women) aged 60-74 years recruited by convenience and snowball sampling completed a 24-hour web-based dietary recall using the newly developed Norwegian version of Measure Your Food On One Day (myfood24). Total energy and nutrient intakes were calculated in myfood24, primarily on the basis of the Norwegian Food Composition Table. No guidance or support was provided to complete the recall. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS), where an SUS score of ≥68 was considered satisfactory. We examined the responses to single SUS items and the mean (SD) SUS score in groups stratified by sex, age, educational level, and device used to complete the recall (smartphone, tablet device, or computer).ResultsThe mean total energy intake was 5815 (SD 3093) kJ. A total of 14% of participants had an energy intake of <2100 kJ (ie, 500 kilocalories) and none had an intake of >16,800 kJ (ie, 4000 kilocalories). Mean energy proportions from carbohydrates, fat, protein, alcohol, and fiber was within the national recommendations. The mean SUS score was 55.5 (SD 18.6), and 27% of participants had SUS scores above the satisfactory product cut-off. Higher SUS scores were associated with younger age and lower education, but not with the type of device used.ConclusionsWe found the overall usability of a new web-based dietary assessment tool to be less than satisfactory in accordance with standard usability criteria in a sample of 60-74–year-old Norwegians. The observed total energy intakes suggest that several of the participants underreported their intake during the completion of the dietary recall. Implementing web-based dietary assessment tools in older adults is feasible, but guidance and support might be needed to ensure valid completion.

Learners’ Attitude towards Using Apps in ELT

Nowadays, there is a scaling up propensity in the transition from the use of classic computer technologies such as personal computers (PC) to mobile technologies such as mobile phones and tablet devices. Now, many of learners have already such devices especially during pandemic. Thus, learners are exactly equipped for mobile learning applications today. A number of apps have been and used for English Language Teaching (ELT). In this study, it is aimed to inspect the use of mobile applications improved for smart mobile phones and / or tablet devices to learn foreign languages (English). To this end, a classroom practice consisting of two groups of 100 students will be applied as experimental and control groups. Apps will be combined into English teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom. Lastly, pre-training and post-training questionnaires will be conducted to find learners’ perceptions and attitudes about practice. Thence, the advantages and boundaries of mobile apps for their use in teaching English and learners’ attitudes, motivation, and anxiety towards learning English via Apps will be explored.

Electricity, Computing Hardware, and Internet Infrastructures in Health Facilities in Sierra Leone: Field Mapping Study.

BackgroundYears of health information system investment in many countries have facilitated service delivery, surveillance, reporting, and monitoring. Electricity, computing hardware, and internet networks are vital for health facility–based information systems. Availability of these infrastructures at health facilities is crucial for achieving national digital health visions.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to gain insight into the state of computing hardware, electricity, and connectivity infrastructure at health facilities in Sierra Leone using a representative sample.MethodsStratified sampling of 72 (out of 1284) health facilities distributed in all districts of Sierra Leone was performed, factoring in the rural-urban divide, digital health activity, health facility type, and health facility ownership. Enumerators visited each health facility over a 2-week period.ResultsAmong the 72 surveyed health facilities, 59 (82%) do not have institutionally provided internet. Among the 15 Maternal and Child Health Posts, as a type of primary health care unit (PHU), 9 (60%) use solar energy as their only electricity source and the other 6 (40%) have no electricity source. Similarly, among the 13 hospitals, 5 (38%) use a generator as a primary electricity source. All hospitals have at least one functional computer, although only 7 of the 13 hospitals have four or more functional computers. Similarly, only 2 of the 59 (3%) PHUs have one computer each, and 37 (63%) of the PHUs have one tablet device each. We consider this health care computing infrastructure mapping to be representative with a 95% confidence level within an 11% margin of error. Two-thirds of the PHUs have only alternate solar electricity, only 10 of the 72 surveyed health facilities have functional official internet, and most use suboptimal computing hardware. Overall, 43% of the surveyed health facilities believe that inadequate electricity is the biggest threat to digitization. Similarly, 16 (22%) of the 72 respondents stated that device theft is a primary hindrance to digitization.ConclusionsElectricity provision for off-electricity-grid health facilities using alternative and renewable energy sources is emerging. The current trend where GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) service providers provide the internet to all health facilities may change to other promising alternatives. This study provides evidence of the critical infrastructure gaps in health facilities in Sierra Leone.

Examining approach–avoidance responses to facial expressions using a tablet device

Examining approach–avoidance responses to facial expressions using a tablet device

Using hyperrealistic simulations to improve digital informed consent for endourological procedures.

To show that digital informed consent (DIC) improves the subjective understanding of information and, therefore, informed consent. A nonblinded randomized controlled trial was performed in 84 patients who had undergone transurethral resection of bladder, transurethral resection of prostate, or ureterorenoscopy between July 2017 and March 2018. The DIC group watched a hyperrealistic simulation on a tablet device before surgery. After surgery and again 30 days later, both groups completed a validated questionnaire that measured subjective understanding, anxiety, and utility of and need for information. The mean ± SD age of the participants was 68.7 ± 11.1 years. Nine of 84 patients (10.7%) did not complete the questionnaire. A total of 42 patients were allocated to the DIC group and 42 to the control group. The mean ± SD score for immediate subjective understanding in the DIC group was 14.5% higher than in the control group (72% ± 17.5% vs 57.5% ± 23.5%, respectively; P = 0.006). There was no statistical difference in anxiety, utility of and need for information relative to delayed subjective understanding. In subgroup analysis, subjective understanding scores were higher, but not significantly so, among patients with low and higher education levels in the DIC group than in the control group (68% ± 18.1% vs 54% ± 22.5% [P = 0.06] and 76% ± 18.3% vs and 66% ± 21.9%, respectively [P = 0.89]). Hyperrealistic simulations improved subjective understanding of information and, therefore, informed consent for endourological procedures.

Assessing Elderly User Preference for Telehealth Solutions in China: Exploratory Quantitative Study.

BackgroundIn the next 15 to 20 years, the Chinese population will reach a plateau and start to decline. With the changing family structure and rushed urbanization policies, there will be greater demand for high-quality medical resources at urban centers and home-based elderly care driven by telehealth solutions. This paper describes an exploratory study regarding elderly users’ preference for telehealth solutions in the next 5 to 10 years in 4 cities, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Yichang.ObjectiveThe goal is to analyze why users choose telehealth solutions over traditional health solutions based on a questionnaire study involving 4 age groups (50-60, 61-70, 71-80, and 80+) in 4 cities (Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Yichang) in the next 10 to 20 years. The legal retirement age for female workers in China is 50 to 55 years and 60 years for male workers. To simulate reality in terms of elderly care in China, the authors use the Chinese definition of elderly for employees, defined as being 50 to 60 years old rather than 65 years, as defined by the World Health Organization.MethodsThe questionnaires were collected from Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Yichang randomly with 390 valid data samples. The questionnaire consists of 31 questions distributed offline on tablet devices by local investigators. Subsequently, Stata 16.0 and SPSS 24.0 were used to analyze the data. O-logit ordered regression and principal component analysis (PCA) were the main theoretical models used. The study is currently in the exploratory stage and therefore does not seek generalization of the results.ResultsApproximately 71.09% (280/390) of the respondents reported having at least 1 type of chronic disease. We started with PCA and categorized all Likert scale variables into 3 factors. The influence of demographic variables on Factors 1, 2, and 3 was verified using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t tests. The ordered logit regression results suggest that health-related motivations are positively related to the willingness to use telehealth solutions, and trust on data collected from telehealth solutions is negatively correlated with the willingness to use telehealth solutions.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that there is a need to address the gap in community health care and ensure health care continuity between different levels of health care institutions in China by providing telehealth solutions. Meanwhile, telehealth solution providers must focus on improving users’ health awareness and lower health risk for chronic diseases by addressing lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and social activity. The interoperability between the electronic health record system and telehealth solutions remains a hurdle for telehealth solutions to add value in health care. The hurdle is that doctors neither adjust health care plans nor diagnose based on data collected by telehealth solutions.

The design and evaluation of an AR-based serious game to teach programming

The ubiquity of smartphone and tablet devices, combined with the increasing availability of serious games, has enabled students to learn various abstract concepts in an appealing and convenient manner. While several researchers have explored the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in serious games, many of these games have not been critically explained or evaluated. To that end, we employed game-based learning methodologies and Game Learning Analytics (GLA) to systematize the design and evaluation of an AR-based serious game to teach programming. We evaluated our game for usability and effectiveness by conducting a user study on twenty-seven undergraduate students. The evaluation primarily consisted of a learning test conducted twice – before and after playing the game – along with a usability questionnaire that players completed after playing the game. Our results showed that players made significant progress after playing the game. The game helped players improve their basic programming skills, especially for the group having lower prior programming skills. The results highlighted various ways in which GLA can be used to benefit different stakeholders in the game. Based on players’ qualitative responses, we also identified several areas of improvement, most prominently the trade-off between ease of use and game complexity. We provide suggestions and discuss implications for future work.

Tablet-assisted objective structured spotter practical examination (TOSSPE): Advantages of an innovative anatomy spotter examination method for medical student assessment.

The affordances of technology-based assessments, like the objectively structured practical examination, have become an integral part of gross anatomy courses. The Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine at the University of Warmia and Mazury developed and introduced an application for tablet devices which has been implemented in student examinations and assessments, called the tablet-assisted objective structured spotter practical examination. It was created to simplify the educational process and to build a rich learning environment, facilitating deep learning for students through examination and feedback data. The method consists of cadaver stations with traditional corresponding pin spotters in an expanded tablet application. It not only provides instant feedback on various observations of teaching-learning skills but has also positively affected the entire process of education. The method provides an unbiased evaluation of knowledge and understanding of the anatomy course, ensuring objectivity and standardization. The current study was performed on a total of 608 first-year medical students in Polish and English divisions and focused on the observed advantages since the new method was introduced. Outcomes indicate that after the implementation of the method for both the Polish and English divisions' first-year medical students, the mean score of examinations significantly increased compared to other teaching-learning methods. The study highlights that students were excited about the implementation of the new method and identified its many benefits. It is recognized that technological development and the digital environment offer a range of opportunities and added value versus traditional assessment activities, methods, and processes.

A Systematic Review of Smartphone and Tablet Use by Older Adults With and Without Cognitive Impairment.

Background and ObjectivesA systematic review was conducted to explore the use of smartphones and tablet computers as cognitive and memory aids by older adults with and without cognitive impairment, specifically the effects of smartphone and tablet use on participants’ cognition and memory, and the barriers and facilitators to smartphone and tablet use for cognitive and memory support.Research Design and MethodsA systematic search of 6 key databases found 11,895 citations published between 2010 and 2021. Studies were included if they involved community-dwelling older adults with or without cognitive impairment arising from acquired brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia, and if they evaluated everyday smartphone or tablet device use for cognition, memory, or activities of daily living.ResultsA total of 28 papers were included in the narrative synthesis. There was some evidence that the use of smartphones and tablets could aid cognitive function in older adults without cognitive impairment, particularly executive function and processing speed. There was modest evidence that smartphone and tablet use could support memory in both older adults without cognitive impairment and those with acquired brain injury and dementia.Discussion and ImplicationsSmartphones and tablets were seen by users as acceptable, enjoyable, and nonstigmatizing alternatives to conventional assistive technology devices; however, current use of smartphone and tablet devices is hindered by the digital literacy of older adults, a lack of accommodation for older adult users’ motor and sensory impairments, and a lack of input from clinicians and researchers. Much of the evidence presented in this review derives from case studies and small-scale trials of smartphone and tablet training interventions. Further research is needed into older adults’ use of smartphones and tablets for cognitive support before and after the onset of cognitive impairment in order to develop effective evidence-based smart technology cognition and memory aids.