Interactive Electronic Pegboard for Enhancing Manual Dexterity and Cognitive Abilities: Instrument Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Strokes pose a substantial health burden, impacting 1 in 6 people globally. One-tenth of patients will endure a second, often more severe, stroke within a year. Alarmingly, a younger demographic is being affected due to recent lifestyle changes. As fine motor and cognitive issues arise, patient disability as well as the strain on caregivers and health care resources is exacerbated. Contemporary occupational therapy assesses manual dexterity and cognitive functions through object manipulation and pen-and-paper recordings. However, these assessments are typically isolated, which makes it challenging for therapists to comprehensively evaluate specific patient conditions. Furthermore, the reliance on one-on-one training and assessment approaches on manual documentation is inefficient and prone to transcription errors. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the feasibility of using an interactive electronic pegboard for stroke rehabilitation in clinical settings. METHODS: A total of 10 patients with a history of stroke and 10 healthy older individuals were recruited. With a limit of 10 minutes, both groups of participants underwent a series of challenges involving tasks related to manual operation, shape recognition, and color discrimination. All participants underwent the Box and Block Test and the Purdue Pegboard Test to assess manual dexterity, as well as an array of cognitive assessments, including the Trail Making Test and the Mini-Mental Status Examination, which served as a basis to quantify participants' attention, executive functioning, and cognitive abilities. RESULTS: The findings validate the potential application of an interactive electronic pegboard for stroke rehabilitation in clinical contexts. Significant statistical differences (P<.01) were observed across all assessed variables, including age, Box and Block Test results, Purdue Pegboard Test outcomes, Trail Making Test-A scores, and Mini-Mental Status Examination performance, between patients with a history of stroke and their healthy older counterparts. Functional and task testing, along with questionnaire interviews, revealed that patients with a history of stroke demonstrated prolonged completion times and slightly inferior performance. Nonetheless, most patients perceived the prototype as user-friendly and engaging. Thus, in the context of patient rehabilitation interventions or the evaluation of patient cognition, physical functioning, or manual dexterity assessments, the developed pegboard could potentially serve as a valuable tool for hand function, attention, and cognitive rehabilitation, thereby mitigating the burden on health care professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals can use digital electronic pegboards not only as a precise one-on-one training tool but also as a flexible system that can be configured for online or offline, single-player or multiplayer use. Through data analysis, a more informed examination of patients' cognitive and functional issues can be conducted. Importantly, patient records will be fully retained throughout practices, exercises, or tests, and by leveraging the characteristics of big data, patients can receive the most accurate rehabilitation prescriptions, thereby assisting them in obtaining optimal care.

Feasibility and Design Factors for Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Lung Diseases Based on a People-Object-Environment Framework: Qualitative Interview Study.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility of implementing home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) can be assessed from the perspectives of patients with chronic lung disease and health care professionals involved in PR. OBJECTIVE: Through a qualitative inquiry using interviews and the adoption of the people-object-environment framework, this study aims to understand the influences of interpersonal, environmental, and situational factors on the perceptions and considerations of individuals involved in home-based PR for patients with chronic lung disease. METHODS: One-on-one interviews were conducted with 20 patients with chronic lung disease and 20 health care professionals for investigating their attitudes and opinions based on their experiences regarding home-based PR as well as for identifying the key factors affecting the benefits and drawbacks of such therapies. This study further evaluates the feasibility of using digital tools for medical diagnosis and treatment by examining the technology usage of both parties. RESULTS: The 4 key issues that all participants were the most concerned about were as follows: distance to outpatient medical care, medical efficiency, internet connectivity and equipment, and physical space for diagnosis and treatment. Interviews with patients and health care professionals revealed that the use of technology and internet was perceived differently depending on age and area of residence. Most participants reported that digital tools and internet connectivity had many benefits but still could not solve all the problems; moreover, these same digital tools and network transmission could lead to problems such as information security and digital divide concerns. This study also emphasizes the significant impact of human behavior and thinking on shaping the design of health care interventions and technologies. Understanding user perspectives and experiences is crucial for developing effective solutions for unmet needs. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that despite the different perspectives of patients and health care professionals, their considerations of the key issues are very similar. Therefore, the implementation of plans related to telemedicine diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation should take the suggestions and considerations of both parties into account as crucial factors for telehealth care design.

Why People Do Not Attend Health Screenings: Factors That Influence Willingness to Participate in Health Screenings for Chronic Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and preventative screenings are the most effective way to reduce the risk of developing a chronic disease. However, many individuals do not take advantage of preventative screening services for chronic diseases, especially in rural areas. In this study, we investigated (1) the factors that affect people's willingness to participate in chronic disease screenings and (2) reasons why people have not undergone screening for a chronic disease in the past. METHODS: Study participants (aged 30-65 of years age; n = 204) included individuals from four areas in northern of Taiwan that are considered to have a high chronic disease risk. To identify factors that influence willingness to attend health screenings, data were collected by questionnaire. RESULTS: Over 50% of participants (58.33%; n = 119) indicated that they were unaware of community-based screenings for chronic diseases offered by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, which is one of the top-rated medical centers in Taiwan. Factors that increase willingness to participate in health screenings for chronic diseases include: (1) the convenience of screening site locations; (2) affordability; and (3) other considerations related to healthcare providers and diagnostic facilities (e.g., reputation, degree of modernization, etc.). Conversely, factors that reduce willingness to participate in health screenings include: (1) a belief that one was currently healthy; (2) lack of time; (3) a belief that screening procedures were too complicated to understand; (4) physical pain or negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, embarrassment, pain, and discomfort and, (5) having had a negative experience during a previous health checkup. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that health attitudes, sociodemographic factors, and other motivating and preventative factors affect peoples' willingness to participate in health screenings. The motivating factors and barriers for people to participate in health screening for chronic diseases are very heterogeneous. However, understanding the barriers and motivating factors to health screening would mean that interventions with the purpose of decreasing people's health risks and reducing deaths and disabilities caused by a chronic illness could be implemented.

Primary Drivers of Willingness to Continue to Participate in Community-Based Health Screening for Chronic Diseases.

BACKGROUND: As the average age of the population continues to rise in the 21st century, chronic illnesses have become the most prominent threats to human health. Research has shown that early screenings for chronic diseases are an effective way of lowering incidence and mortality rates. However, low participation rates for health screening is one of the main challenges for preventive medicine. The objective of this study was to determine the primary drivers which: (1) first motivate people to participate in community-based health screening for chronic diseases; and (2) increase their willingness to continue to participate. METHODS: A total of 440 individuals between 30 and 75 years of age were invited to undergo a health screening and then complete an interview questionnaire. Screenings and interviews were conducted in four regions in northern Taiwan. The questionnaire was separated into three sections, which explored sociodemographic differences, drivers of willingness to participate, and willingness to continue to participate respectively. Raw data was analyzed using the statistical software package SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effects of sociodemographic factors on health screening participation rate, drivers of willingness to participate, and willingness to continue to participate. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent of participants responded that they would be willing to continue to join in future health screenings. Notably, elderly people and married people were respectively more likely to participate in preventive health screening than were younger people and people who were single, divorced, separated, or widowed. Level of education was another key driver of willingness to participate in health screening for chronic diseases, as were the concern of relatives/friends and the provision of participation incentives. DISCUSSION: Some of our findings, such as the key drivers of willingness to continue to participate in health screening that we identified, were different from findings of many previous studies conducted in other countries. The current study also found that a higher percentage of participants would be willing to join a similar health screening in the future if the service design is considered in advance and is well-implemented.