Use Of Mobile Tools Research Articles

Design and Psychometric Evaluation of Nurses' Mobile Health Device Acceptance Scale (NMHDA-Scale): Application of the Expectation-Confirmation Theory.

The use of mobile tools in nursing care is indispensable. Given the importance of nurses' acceptance of these tools in delivering effective care, this issue requires greater attention. This study aims to design the Mobile Health Tool Acceptance Scale for Nurses based on the Expectation-Confirmation Theory and to evaluate it psychometrically. Using a Waltz-based approach grounded in existing tools and the constructs of the Expectation-Confirmation Theory, the initial version of the scale was designed and evaluated for face and content validity. Construct validity was examined through exploratory factor analysis, concurrent validity, and known-group comparison. Reliability was assessed using measures of internal consistency and stability. The initial version of the scale consisted of 33 items. During the qualitative and quantitative content validity stage, 1 item was added and 1 item was removed. Exploratory factor analysis, retaining 33 items, identified 5 factors that explained 70.53% of the variance. A significant positive correlation was found between the scores of the designed tool and nurses' attitudes toward using mobile-based apps in nursing care (r=0.655, P<.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient, Cronbach α, and ω coefficient were 0.938, 0.953, and 0.907, respectively. The 33-item scale developed is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring nurses' acceptance of mobile health tools.

Advancing sustainable implementation of an evidence-based mental health intervention in Sierra Leone’s schools: protocol for a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial

BackgroundMental health disorders among youth contribute substantially to the global burden of disease, which is exacerbated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to large mental health treatment gaps. In Sierra Leone, a West African country with a long history of complex adversity, the mental health treatment gap is estimated at 98%. Implementing innovative mental health interventions that can be sustained at scale is a priority. The Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) is an evidence-based mental health intervention for youth that can be delivered feasibly by lay health workers/nonspecialists. Using mobile-based technologies to assist implementation could improve the reach and sustainability of the YRI in Sierra Leone. This study aims to train teachers to deliver the YRI in Sierra Leone’s secondary schools and test the feasibility, acceptability, cost, and fidelity to the YRI of a mobile-based supervision model compared with standard, in-person supervision.MethodsWe will conduct a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness cluster randomized trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability, costs and fidelity to the YRI implemented by teachers receiving mobile-based supervision vs. standard supervision. Enrolled schools (N = 50) will be randomized to YRI + mobile supervision (N = 20), YRI + standard supervision (N = 20) or waitlist control (N = 10). We will recruit and enroll four teachers per intervention-condition school (N = 160) and 1200 youth. We will collect data on implementation outcomes among teachers, principals and youth via a mixed methods approach at baseline and post-intervention. We will also collect quantitative data on youth mental health and functioning as secondary outcomes at baseline and post-intervention, as well as cost-effectiveness data at 12-month follow-up.DiscussionStudy findings have the potential to expand the reach of mental health services among youth in low-resource settings via a teacher workforce. The use of mobile tools, if successful, could support further scale out and sustainment of the YRI to other regions of Sierra Leone and West Africa more broadly, which could help address the mental health treatment gap.Trial registrationClinical Trial Network: NCT05737667.

The influence of phonetic competence on the success of cross-cultural communication

Problem. The developed phonetic competence is a prerequisite for successful cross-cultural communication, as it ensures mutual understanding of interlocutors in communication. The limited number of hours for learning a foreign language in a technical university, on the one hand, and the emergence of an increasing number of digital educational tools, on the other hand, require the search for new means of teaching phonetics in the context of preparation for cross-cultural communication. Goal. To analyze the methods of developing phonetic skills of non-linguistic HEI students and to propose new approaches to the combined development of phonetic and sociocultural competences using modern digital technologies. Methodology. It is determined that mastering the phonetic system of the language means a high level of development of phonetic skills, which include auditory-pronunciation, intonation, receptive and reproductive skills. The stages of formation of phonetic competence are traced, and a number of principles underlying the teaching of pronunciation are highlighted. The existing approaches to the formation of phonetic competence are analyzed, it is indicated that most effectively the task of teaching pronunciation can be solved using the audio-lingual method, which involves repeated listening and pronunciation of speech fragments, and leads to the formation of certain language automatisms. When developing new methods of forming phonetic competence, mobile technologies can be actively used, which allow learning the language at any convenient time and in any convenient place. Results. For the combined formation of phonetic and cross-cultural competences using the audio-lingual method, the course "Cultural sketches" was developed, which included thirty culture-related topics covering the most diverse fields of culture: Each topic was presented as an audiovisual file with parallel translation, the texts were processed using translingual strategies, which imply the alternating use of native and foreign languages, giving students the opportunity to practice language fragments as many times as they needed to consolidate the material and bring it to automaticity. Originality. Phonetic competence was formed in combination with cross-cultural competence, which implies assimilation of a wide range of sociocultural knowledge from various fields of human activity, using the method of audiovisual translation, which was implemented thanks to the use of mobile technologies. Practical value. The experience of practical work with the use of mobile tools for teaching phonetics shows that this approach makes it possible to increase the level of phonetic competence in the use of the English language by future specialists, and also stimulates them to self-development and independent activity.

Changes in emerging mobility tool adoption: A path towards sustainability?

Emerging mobility technologies, such as car sharing, ride hailing, bike sharing, and telework have led to aspirations of sustainable transportation. But how quickly are emerging mobility tools adopted? Who is adopting them? And are they likely to replace private vehicle use? This study addresses these questions using descriptive statistics and inferential models with repeated cross-sectional data from the Southern Ontario, Canada. Findings indicate that emerging mobility tool use grew between 2016 and 2021 – especially for ride hailing and telework. In the wake of the pandemic, users experimented and there were market changes. However, evidence on the potential for emerging mobility tools to lead to sustainable transportation is underwhelming. In turn, this questions as to whether emerging mobility tools should be core components of climate policy or whether they are most compelling based on a choice-based rationale for transportation policy – wherein choice is of central public value.

The impact of the mobile applications usage on the quality of tourism specialists training

Problem statement . The modernization of the educational system involves the adoption of technologies based on artificial intelligence, AR, VR, and mobile platforms. The use of mobile tools in the training of workers in the tourism industry meets the requirements for training programs for highly qualified professionals in this area and the challenges of economic integration. The study aimed at substantiating the efficacy of the use of mobile applications in the training of tourism industry specialists for the quality improvement. Methodology . Theoretical and methodological analysis and generalization were applied in determining the content and problems of mobile learning in the area of tourism and identifying the prospects for the development of travel applications. For designing mobile applications, the iBuildApp tool was chosen. A testing was developed, including the blocks “Fundamentals of tourism activities” (20 points), and “Mobile applications in the field of tourism” (20 points). The study involved 49 students of the Orel State Institute of Culture (the direction of training “Tourism”, profile “Technology and organization of excursion services”). Pearson's chi-squared test was used as a statistical processing method. Results . The ideas of a methodological approach are formulated, reflecting the necessary changes in the system of training specialists in the tourism sector, taking into account the challenges of economic integration, the requirements of a professional standard, and the strategy for the development of tourism in Russia. The difficulties that affect the effectiveness of the inclusion of mobile applications in the training of industry workers are highlighted: dependence on foreign software solutions, the high expense of creating own mobile application and its post-maintenance, and technical failures in the network. Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes that occurred in the training system were determined. Conclusion . The incorporation of mobile applications in the training of tourism industry specialists advances the quality of their training due to new opportunities for collaboration and project activities, cost optimization, innovative work experience, etc. There are also negative aspects, such as a decrease in the overall level of oral communication, the risks of losing the phone, distraction, and addiction.

The Use of Mobile Tools when Implementing the Master’s Degree Program “Adaptive Physical Rehabilitation” to Improve the Quality of Students' Professional Training

The Use of Mobile Tools when Implementing the Master’s Degree Program “Adaptive Physical Rehabilitation” to Improve the Quality of Students' Professional Training

The Role of Nurses in Bridging the Health Literacy Gap: Empowering Patients in the Post-Pandemic Era

Health literacy (HL) is an essential ability used by people throughout life to access, understand, appraise, and apply health related information and services and is widely recognized as a key determinant of health. HL has been the focus of increasing international attention in the 21st century, with the World Health Organization identifying HL as a 2030 sustainable development target (World Health Organization, 2016). "Strengthening health communication and improving HL nationwide" is also an issue targeted in a Taiwan government white paper for improvement by 2025. Key related actions and strategies noted in this paper include investigating the HL of each life course; disseminating accurate, easy-to-access, and implementable health and safety information; improving the public's awareness and use of mobile tools; using multiple marketing models (public, organization, interpersonal communication); combining cloud technology to develop a health management system; setting up websites; providing cloud care; and developing other e-media (Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2016). The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly challenged the global healthcare system as well as individual health. Due to the difficulties and uncertainties associated with emerging diseases, updating regularly changing information in a timely manner is not easy. Ensuring public access to and application of updated information is a key challenge to improving public HL. Abel & McQueen (2020) pointed out that "critical health literacy", the ability of individuals to reflect on complex health issues and critically evaluate available information, will be the key to promoting and enhancing healthy behaviors in response to emerging diseases. Taiwan is rapidly moving toward becoming a super-aged society, at which time frail older adults, individuals with dementia, and individuals with disabilities and multiple chronic diseases are expected to be the primary targets of healthcare system services. During the pandemic, many individuals in vulnerable groups died quickly due to COVID-19-related severe illnesses, leaving their families with insufficient time to respond and adjust. This experience highlights the importance of palliative and end-of-life care communication with clients and of permitting family members to grieve. In addition, disease control measures such as isolation, wearing masks, and reducing visits to patients have also affected communication between people, widening the distance between patients, their families, and healthcare professionals. This experience has made us reflect on how to better use online and mobile tools to support self-care for patients and their families. In this issue, Professor Li first expounds on promoting HL in the elderly through the use of health education strategies such as formulating public policies related to HL, adjusting the orientation of health services, constructing a friendly environment for HL information dissemination, strengthening community resources for HL education, and promoting geriatric learning and shared decision-making. Professor Wu encourages nurses in long-term care facilities to apply the U-R-PEACE strategy to promote understanding, respect, planning, expression, act, care, and education in a manner that facilitates effective palliative care communication with patients and their families as early as possible. Because dementia care relies heavily on family caregivers, Professor Luo suggests using family-caregiver-created and managed Facebook groups to share health information and facilitate social support, shedding light on how to use social media to effectively empower caregivers. Interactions between patients and healthcare professionals are critical to effective healthcare delivery. The unequal power dynamic between physicians and patients may lead to communication conflicts, especially as generational replacement progresses and public health awareness improves. Facing the differences between these two interest groups, Professor Ye suggest nurses handle conflicts proactively by increasing their emotional drive to address disagreements, enhancing their cognitive abilities to handle interpersonal dynamics, and engaging actively in communicative measures.

Developing Population Health Surveillance Using mHealth in Low-Resource Settings: Qualitative Assessment and Pilot Evaluation.

BackgroundPopulation surveillance data are essential for understanding population needs and evaluating health programs. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations in western Myanmar did not previous have means for conducting robust, electronic population health surveillance.ObjectiveThis study involved developing mobile health (mHealth)–based population health surveillance in a rural, low-resource setting with minimal cellular infrastructure in western Myanmar. This was an early formative study in which our goal was to establish the initial feasibility of conducting mHealth population health surveillance, optimizing procedures, and building capacity for future work.MethodsWe used an iterative design process to develop mHealth-based population health surveillance focused on general demographics (eg, total census, age category, sex, births, and deaths). Interviews were conducted with international consultants (nurse midwives) and local clinicians (nurses and physicians) in Myanmar. Our analytic approach was informed by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety work systems model to capture the multilevel user needs for developing health interventions, which was used to create a prototype data collection tool. The prototype was then pilot-tested in 33 villages to establish an initial proof of concept.ResultsWe conducted 7 interviews with 5 participants who provided feedback regarding the domains of the work system, including environmental, organizational, sociocultural, technological, informational, and task- and people-based considerations, for adapting an mHealth tool. Environmental considerations included managing limited electricity and internet service. Organizational needs involved developing agreements to work within existing government infrastructure as well as leveraging the communal nature of societies to describe the importance of surveillance data collection and gain buy-in. Linguistic diversity and lack of experience with technology were both cited as people- and technology-based aspects to inform prototype design. The use of mobile tools was also viewed as a means to improve the quality of the data collected and as a feasible option for working in settings with limited internet access. Following the prototype design based on the findings of initial interviews, the mHealth tool was piloted in 33 villages, allowing our team to collect census data from 11,945 people for an initial proof of concept. We also detected areas of potentially missing data, which will need to be further investigated and mitigated in future studies.ConclusionsPrevious studies have not focused heavily on the early stages of developing population health surveillance capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Findings related to key design considerations using a work systems lens may be informative to others developing technology-based solutions in extremely low-resource settings. Future work will involve collecting additional health-related data and further evaluating the quality of the data collected. Our team established an initial proof of concept for using an mHealth tool to collect census-related information in a low-resource, extremely rural, and low-literacy environment.

Mobile learning in higher education environmental science: state of the field and future possibilities

Authentic, place-based learning is essential for students of ecological and environmental sciences, providing connection to the discipline and building environmental literacy (O’Neil et al. 2020). In a COVID-affected world where opportunities to provide field-based learning may be limited, evaluating how mobile technologies may be used to enhance the field-based learning experiences of students is increasingly important.&#x0D; Advances in mobile technologies have seen a surge in customised applications for species identification, data collection and collation aimed at public users and citizen scientists (e.g. iNaturalist: Unger et al. 2020; eBird: Sullivan et al. 2009; FrogID: Rowley et al. 2019). With field-based learning central to ecology and environmental science disciplines, there is a clear opportunity for the expanded use of mobile tools in higher education. We evaluated recent projects through a systematic review of the use of mobile learning technologies and approaches in field-based environmental sciences within higher education over the last decade.&#x0D; Our search criteria terms encompassed mobile learning, mobile devices, teaching methods, field-based learning, undergraduate students and science disciplines and identified 1613 initial records. After removing irrelevant and duplicate records, 130 studies were identified that implemented mobile learning within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with engineering (32/130 studies, 24.6%), geology and geosciences (17/130, 13.1%) and natural/environmental sciences (17/130, 13.1%) the most common. Narrowing this search again to field-based studies, we identified 18 records, most of which (12/18, 66.7%) were in geology and geosciences disciplines.&#x0D; A range of mobile learning technologies were used in the field, spanning the SAMR continuum (Laurillard 2012) from the substitution of traditional field activities with species identification apps (Pfeiffer et al. 2009; Thomas and Fellowes 2017), and augmentation of field experiences with multimedia resources such as podcasts (Jarvis and Dickie 2010) and other apps and resources viewed on mobile devices (Welsh et al. 2015; France et al. 2016; Unger et al. 2018), through to the modification and reinvention of field-based learning by incorporating multimedia displays, visualisations, games and information hotspots (Habib et al. 2012; Fitzpatrick et al. 2012; Bursztyn et al. 2015), virtual field trips and augmented reality (Stokes et al. 2010; Howard 2011; Litherland and Stott 2012; Kingston et al. 2012; Bursztyn et al. 2017; Prietnall et al. 2019), and customised apps that allow student-generated content (Chang et al. 2012) such as data collection, analysis and reflection (Chatterjea 2012; Wang et al. 2016). Studies used both enterprise and custom-built tools, with most incorporating geolocation capabilities.&#x0D; Our review criteria only identified two studies in ecology disciplines, both of which utilised an existing enterprise application for species identification (Pfeiffer et al. 2009; Thomas and Fellowes 2017). There remains ample opportunity to develop collaborative mobile learning systems that use custom-built applications for field data collection and are integrated with the learning management systems, such as those in development in collaborative international projects (Bone et al. 2020). We strongly encourage the exploration of the potential for mobile learning in these contexts, and the publication of other projects that have incorporated mobile tools in ecological and environmental sciences curricula.

Public safety conditions under radiological emergencies monitoring comprehensive system mobile facilities application

The article presents examples of radiological emergencies with ionizing radiation sources used in radioisotope devices. A number of measures aimed at emergency response in relation to such emergencies, including in relation to the control of the radiation situation (CRS) and its assessment, are considered. A variant of building a complex of mobile CRS tools for a comprehensive monitoring system for the state of the population protection is presented. Special attention is paid to the justification and optimization of the CRS use in situations of control loss over IRS, including technical, organizational and scientific approaches to the use of these mobile tools. In order to optimize the group integrated use of mobile CRS tools, typical radiological situations are studied in advance and rational options for the mobile CRS tools using are selected, taking into account different environmental conditions, including natural-geographical, climatic and man-made factors. The considered approaches to optimization in the use of mobile means of comprehensive systems of the public protection conditions monitoring in radiological emergencies allow, first of all, to increase the efficiency of their use and ensure the successful implementation of tasks for the prevention and elimination of such emergencies consequences.

Impact of mobile devices on cancer diagnosis in cytology.

Digital pathology has widened pathologists' opportunities to examine both surgical and cytological samples. Recently, portable mobile devices like tablets and smartphones have been tested for application with digital technologies including static, dynamic, and more recently whole slide imaging. This study aimed to review the published literature on the impact of mobile devices on cancer diagnoses in cytology. This analysis focused on their diagnostic potential, technical details, critical issues and pitfalls, and economical aspects. A systematic search was carried out in the electronic databases Embase and PubMed. Studies dealing with the application of mobile devices for diagnosing cancer on cytological specimens were included. The quality of studies was assessed with the QUADAS-2 tool. The main themes addressed were the comparison of manual examination with light microscopy and the use of mobile tools for primary diagnosis. The technical features of different models of smartphones and tablets, software, and adapters were also studied in terms of feasibility and costs-analysis. Of 2458 retrieved articles, 18 were included. Concordance with light microscopy was good and diagnostic performance comparable with an expert pathologist's diagnosis. The mobile devices studied differed, sometimes significantly, in terms of speed and cost. The utility was improved by employing specifically designed adapters. Image acquisition and transmission represent the main critical points in almost all studies. The use of mobile devices demonstrated promising results regarding the digital evaluation of cytological samples. Widespread adoption even in underserved areas is anticipated following validation studies, technology improvements, and reduction in the costs.

Mobility Tool Use Relates to Disability Affirmation among Adults with Visual Impairments

Introduction: Research is beginning to support the association between positive disability identity and well-being among individuals with disabilities, including those with visual impairments (i.e., blindness and low vision). To enhance practitioner understanding of how to support individuals with visual impairments, research is needed to examine how disability identity attitudes may vary based on disability characteristics in this population. Methods: Using multiple linear regression, the author examined the association between impairment-related factors and personal disability identity (PDI; i.e., disability affirmation and disability acceptance) and group disability identity (GDI) in a sample of 212 adult U.S. residents with visual impairments. Results: Results of this study indicated that participants who use a mobility tool (cane, dog guide, or both) have higher self-reported disability affirmation ( p = .001)—an identity construct related to feelings of disability pride versus shame—after controlling for age, gender, and impairment-related factors (e.g., severity indicators). The Cohen’s f 2 value for the affirmation model was .15, a medium effect size (Cohen, 1988). The regression on GDI indicated that younger participants, in general, reported higher feelings of connection to the disability community (i.e., higher GDI; p = .001); Cohen’s f 2 was .13, a small effect. The regression on disability acceptance yielded non-significant findings. Discussion: Researchers and practitioners working with adults who have visual impairments should consider the relationship between an individual’s disability affirmation and decision-making regarding mobility tool use and training . Future research should also examine hypotheses regarding the negative association between age and GDI among adults with visual impairments. Implications for practitioners: Practitioners within the field of visual impairment may benefit from a consideration of consumer disability identity, including disability affirmation and disability group affiliation.

Factors Affecting Mobile Learning Acceptance in Higher Education: An Empirical Study

The use of mobile tools to support learning and teaching activities has become a significant part of the informal learning process. Mobile learning (M-learning) is used to considerably develop the forms of learning activities made by learners, and support the learning process. The effective application of M-learning in higher educational institutions, however, is based on the learners’ adoption. It is therefore essential to define and investigate the factors affecting the desire of learners to use and adopt M-learning. Thus, this research investigates the factors affecting students’ intention to adopt M-learning in institutions of higher education. To achieve the objectives of this research, a model is proposed based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The instrument is developed using validated items from previous studies and shreds of literature. Data for this quantitative study are collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) is used to analyze the data collected from 218 participants using a survey questionnaire. The findings show that students’ intention to adopt M-learning is shaped by various variables consisting of personnel innovativeness, self-management, facilitating conditions, social influence, relative advantage, and effort expectancy. The research results also present several practical contributions and implications for M-learning adoption in terms of research and practice. Investigation of the required determinants may contribute to gain learners’ adoption and is important to enhance the learning experience of students and help them improve their knowledge and academic achievement. The contribution of this paper lies in defining the factors influencing the acceptance and use of M-learning systems by students of higher education in Palestine. Hopefully, the results of the study are valuable for policy-makers in designing comprehensive M-learning systems.

An Exploratory Study of General Self-Efficacy and Employment in Adults with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Introduction: In this study, the author examined the association between general self-efficacy (GSE) and employment status in working-age adults with retinitis pigmentosa (RP; N = 183). The author further examined the associations between employment status and factors that were previously found to be linked to employment outcomes in individuals with visual impairments: educational attainment, mobility tool use (i.e., use of dog guide or cane), ability to drive, age, gender, and age at onset of visual impairment. Methods: Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze cross-sectional data collected online in 2015. Results: Findings indicated that individuals with RP who have a bachelor’s degree or higher had significantly higher odds of being employed ( p &lt; .01) and that individuals with RP who use a cane or dog guide had significantly lower odds of being employed ( p &lt; .01). Although not statistically significant, findings further indicated that individuals with RP who have higher GSE had higher odds of being employed ( p = .07) and that individuals who are able to drive had 130% higher odds of being employed ( p = .06). Discussion: Results demonstrated an association between GSE and employment status, after controlling for factors that were previously linked to employment outcomes in individuals with visual impairment. Implications for practitioners: Self-efficacy is an alterable cognitive construct and may be the target of interventions to increase employment outcomes for adults with RP or other eye conditions.

Detecting the opinions of the secondary school administrators regarding the use of mobile technologies for educational purposes

The goal of this research is to detect the opinions of secondary school administrators regarding the use of mobile technologies for educational purposes. 15 secondary school administrators form the participants of this research. The data of the research are collected in the fall semester of the 2017-2018 educational year. The work is designed through the qualitative research model. The personal information form and the semi-structured interview form are prepared by the researcher while collecting the data. The data obtained have been resolved by using the content analysis method. According to the obtained findings from this research; secondary school administrators have expressed that they use mobile learning in their teaching practices “in need of momentary information”, “momentary communication”, and “in the transfer of the audiovisual data used in the courses to the smart board”. The administrators have expressed that while choosing the mobile technologies they take into account the content of the course and the features of the action which is going to take place during the course. It has been stated that with the use of mobile tools for educational purposes, there has been seen positive changes in the teaching activities and that the courses has started continuing more effectively and efficiently, and that they benefit from the audiovisual materials more during the course, and that by moving away from the traditional teaching method the student starts learning more active and enjoys.

Learning About Mobile Learning: Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives

This exploratory research project characterised the degree of adoption of mobile learning devices among 149 fourth year pre-service teachers (PST) studying education. It also examined the impact of perceptions about possibilities and constraints in the adoption of mobile devices in schools. The findings reveal that pre-service teachers were generally at the fourth of a six-stage continuum of technological adoption that can be characterized as familiarity and confidence which was one level higher than academic staff. Some of those constraints appear to reside on equity issues, lack of mobile learning support resources, pedagogically unproductive use of mobile tools and student distractedness. Gender did not have a major impact on participants’ opinions but access to a mobile tablet did.

Personal disability identity in retinitis pigmentosa.

Personal disability identity (PDI) refers to a positive self-concept as a person with a disability. This study examined the reliability and structural validity of scores on the Personal Disability Identity Scale (PDIS; Hahn & Belt, 2004) and correlates of PDI in adults with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Research Method/Design: Two hundred six adult participants with RP completed a cross-sectional online survey measuring PDI, general self-efficacy, mobility tool use, age at diagnosis, education level, and demographic variables. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a two-factor model of PDI: denial of disability and affirmation of disability. Findings from multiple linear regression indicated that lower disability denial in individuals with RP was associated with higher general self-efficacy. Both disability denial and disability affirmation were associated with use of mobility tool, but not with age at diagnosis. Future research on disability identity may benefit from a separate consideration of disability denial and disability affirmation. Lower disability denial predicts higher general self-efficacy in RP. Clinical implications include supporting personal disability acceptance rather than attempting to "normalize" individuals with disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessment of eHealth behaviors in national surveys: a systematic review of instruments.

To conduct a systematic review of instruments used in national surveys of eHealth behaviors. Major databases and websites of federal agencies were searched with pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. National surveys with measures of eHealth behaviors were identified. The survey instruments were retrieved, and their measures of eHealth behaviors were categorized and critiqued. We located 13 national surveys containing eHealth behavior assessment questions that were administered from 1999 to 2017. Most surveys were conducted annually or biennially and typically covered topics on searching health information, obtaining social support, communicating with healthcare providers, and buying medicine online; recent surveys included items related to personal health management and use of mobile tools. There were redundant measures of searching health information online but insufficient measures of use of mobile apps, social media, and wearable devices. Future assessment of eHealth behaviors should reflect the growing varieties of behaviors enabled by technology development and reflect the current mobile ownership patterns in diverse social groups. More studies also need to include longitudinal surveys, integrative and standardized measures, and better designs to allow data linkage and comparison. The existing survey instruments covering eHealth behaviors are rather limited compared to fast technological progress. We call for more national surveys on eHealth behaviors that are more responsive to technology development; we also advocate for more analysis and dissemination of existing national data on eHealth behaviors for evidence-based health policies.

Development of a Remote Therapy Tool for Childhood Apraxia of Speech

We present a multitier system for the remote administration of speech therapy to children with apraxia of speech. The system uses a client-server architecture model and facilitates task-oriented remote therapeutic training in both in-home and clinical settings. The system allows a speech language pathologist (SLP) to remotely assign speech production exercises to each child through a web interface and the child to practice these exercises in the form of a game on a mobile device. The mobile app records the child's utterances and streams them to a back-end server for automated scoring by a speech-analysis engine. The SLP can then review the individual recordings and the automated scores through a web interface, provide feedback to the child, and adapt the training program as needed. We have validated the system through a pilot study with children diagnosed with apraxia of speech, their parents, and SLPs. Here, we describe the overall client-server architecture, middleware tools used to build the system, speech-analysis tools for automatic scoring of utterances, and present results from a clinical study. Our results support the feasibility of the system as a complement to traditional face-to-face therapy through the use of mobile tools and automated speech analysis algorithms.

FACEBOOK AS A MEDIATION TOOL IN BIOCHEMISTRY DISCIPLINE

Introduction: The current students generation are daily connected to the Internet, wich encourages the use of mobile tools in education. Many of the students of Biochemistry feel apprehensive about the discipline and the use of facebook may contribute, among other factors, motivating them. Objectives: It was analyzed the use of facebook as a mediator and motivator in the discipline of Biochemistry, basing on socioconstrutivist interventions. Material and methods: This work was developed in the action-research perspective, using the quali-quantitative method. An investigative questionnaire was used, using Likert scale and open questions, to investigate the facebook use, as well as the preferences of students, focusing on Biochemistry group in the Biomedicine course. The posts were analyzed identifying: frequency of the interaction`s types (post, comment, likes); interaction's categories (question, answer, motivational); and the content itself of the post. Results: It was highlighted students' interest to search materials, answering questions, and especially seeking information about the discipline. It was emphasized that the group was motivating for learning Biochemistry, encouragement the group to study, with quick and easy access to the professor by chat. Conclusions: The results indicate a preference for students at facebook, with a great motivational potential, is at easy access to colleagues, professor and monitor, or even the ease of obtaining the materials and ask questions in real time, indicating that this tool as a possible way, still little explored, to enhance the teaching of Biochemistry.