ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Insufficient levels of treatment adherence can have adverse effects on the outcomes of physical rehabilitation. To address this issue, alternative approaches to traditional therapies, such as serious games, have been designed to enhance adherence. Nevertheless, there remain gaps in the development of serious games concerning the effective implementation of motivation, engagement, and the enhancement of treatment adherence. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to design a conceptual framework for the development of serious games that incorporate essential adherence factors to enhance patient compliance with physical rehabilitation programs. METHODS: We formulated a conceptual framework using iterative techniques inspired by a conceptual framework analysis. Initially, we conducted a comprehensive literature review, concentrating on the critical adherence factors in physical rehabilitation. Subsequently, we identified, categorized, integrated, and synthesized the concepts derived from the literature review to construct the conceptual framework. RESULTS: The framework resembles a road map, comprising 3 distinct phases. In the initial phase, the patient's characteristics are identified through an initial exploration. The second phase involves the development of a serious game, with a focus on enhancing treatment adherence by integrating the key adherence factors identified. The third phase revolves around the evaluation of the serious game. These phases are underpinned by 2 overarching themes, namely, a user-centered design and the GameFlow model. CONCLUSIONS: The conceptual framework offers a detailed, step-by-step guide for creating serious games that incorporate essential adherence factors, thereby contributing to improved adherence in the physical rehabilitation process. To establish its validity, further evaluations of this framework across various physical rehabilitation programs and user groups are necessary.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Serious games are a support in the rehabilitation process for treating people with physical disabilities. However, many of these serious games are not adapted to the patient's needs because they are not developed with a software engineering framework with a set of activities, actions, and tasks that must be executed when creating a software product. Better serious games for rehabilitation will be developed if the patient and therapist requirements are identified, the development is planned, and system improvements and feedback are involved. The goal is that the serious game must offer a more attractive environment, while maintaining patient interest in the rehabilitation process. OBJECTIVE: This paper submits the results of a systematic review of serious games in physical rehabilitation identifying the benefits of using a software engineering framework. METHODS: A systematic research was conducted using PubMed, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, ACM Digital Library, Mary Ann Liebert, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, and Springer databases. The initial search resulted in 701 papers. After assessing the results according to the inclusion criteria, 83 papers were selected for this study. RESULTS: From the 83 papers reviewed, 8 used a software engineering framework for its development. Most of them focused their efforts on 1 or more aspects, such as data acquisition and processing, game levels, motivation, therapist supervision. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review proves that most of the serious games do not use a software engineering framework for their development. As a result, development systems overlook several aspects and do not have a standardized process, eventually omitting important implementation aspects, which impact the patient's recovery time.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Serious games have been used as supportive therapy for traditional rehabilitation. However, most are designed without a systematic process to guide their development from the phases of requirement identification, planning, design, construction, and evaluation, which reflect the lack of adaptation of rehabilitation requirements and thus the patient's needs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to propose a conceptual framework with standardized elements for the development of information systems by using a flexible and an adaptable process centered on the patient's needs and focused on the creation of serious games for physical rehabilitation. METHODS: The conceptual framework is based on 3 fundamental concepts: (1) user-centered design, which is an iterative design process focused on users and their needs at each phase of the process, (2) generic structural activities of software engineering, which guides the independent development process regardless of the complexity or size of the problem, and (3) gamification elements, which allow the transformation of obstacles into positive and fun reinforcements, thereby encouraging patients in their rehabilitation process. RESULTS: We propose a conceptual framework to guide the development of serious games through a systematic process by using an iterative and incremental process applying the phases of context identification, user requirements, planning, design, construction of the interaction devices and video game, and evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: This proposed framework will provide developers of serious games a systematic process with standardized elements for the development of flexible and adaptable software with a high level of patient commitment, which will effectively contribute to their rehabilitation process.
ABSTRACT
Vital signs not only reflect essential functions of the human body but also symptoms of a more serious problem within the anatomy; they are well used for physical monitoring, caloric expenditure, and performance before a possible symptom of a massive failure-a great variety of possibilities that together form a first line of basic diagnosis and follow-up on the health and general condition of a person. This review includes a brief theory about fiber optic sensors' operation and summarizes many research works carried out with them in which their operation and effectiveness are promoted to register some vital sign(s) as a possibility for their use in the medical, health care, and life support fields. The review presents methods and techniques to improve sensitivity in monitoring vital signs, such as the use of doping agents or coatings for optical fiber (OF) that provide stability and resistance to the external factors from which they must be protected in in vivo situations. It has been observed that most of these sensors work with single-mode optical fibers (SMF) in a spectral range of 1550 nm, while only some work in the visible spectrum (Vis); the vast majority, operate through fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), long-period fiber gratings (LPFG), and interferometers. These sensors have brought great advances to the measurement of vital signs, especially with regard to respiratory rate; however, many express the possibility of monitoring other vital signs through mathematical calculations, algorithms, or auxiliary devices. Their advantages due to miniaturization, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and the absence of a power source makes them truly desirable for everyday use at all times.
Subject(s)
Fiber Optic Technology , Monitoring, Physiologic/methods , Algorithms , Heart Rate , Humans , Interferometry , Optical Fibers , Vital SignsABSTRACT
La calidad diagnóstica es el resultado de integrar el conocimiento médico y reconocimiento de los errores clínicos, se alcanza únicamente con la identificación de las causas de muerte; es la correlación clínico patológica la herramienta principal para dicha acción. El objetivo general de la investigación fue determinar la discrepancia clínico-patológica y su relación con otras variables en las autopsias realizadas en la institución. Se revisaron 159 protocolos de autopsia del período comprendido entre enero 2012 y junio 2016, elaborados por el Servicio de Patología del Hospital Escuela Universitario de Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Se excluyeron 36 por no cumplir los criterios de inclusión. Se utilizaron la CIE-10 y la clasificación de Goldman et al. para clasificar las patologías y establecer las discrepancias diagnósticas, respectivamente. El sexo predominante fue el femenino (2,96:1), la edad media fue de 38 años; prevalecieron los diagnósticos de embarazo/parto/puerperio y enfermedades infecciosas y parasitarias. Concluimos que en 46% de los casos existe discrepancia diagnóstica y la glomerulonefritis fue la principal causa de error, seguida de bronconeumonía. Se recomienda estandarizar el protocolo de autopsias y promover sesiones clínico-patológicas periódicas e integrales.
Diagnostic quality is the result of the integration of medical knowledge and recognition of clinical error, achieved only by identifying the cause of death; clinical pathological correlation is the primary tool for this action. The overall objective of this research was to determine clinical pathological discrepancy and its relationship with other variables within the autopsies performed at the institution. 159 autopsy protocols, elaborated by the Department of Pathology of Hospital Escuela Universitario in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, from January 2012 to June 2016, were reviewed. 36 were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. ICD-10 and Goldman et al. modified by Battle criteria were used to classify diseases and establish diagnostic discrepancies, respectively. The majority of patients were female (2.96:1), the mean age was 38 years old; diagnoses of pregnancy/birth/puerperium and infectious and parasitic diseases prevailed. We conclude that diagnostic discrepancies exist in 46% of all cases and glomerulonephritis was the leading cause of error, followed by bronchopneumonia. It is recommended that autopsy protocols be standardized, and integrative clinical pathological sessions are promoted and integral.
