RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Due to a high number of patients affected by long COVID or post-COVID condition, an essential step to address the long-term effects of COVID-19 lies in the development and implementation of flexible and accessible rehabilitation programs. Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer the potential to support traditional therapies with individualized at-home programs. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide an overview of existing scientific evidence on the development and implementation of VR-assisted respiratory rehabilitation programs for patients with long COVID and post-COVID condition and to synthesize the results. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of studies from 6 databases. PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index, and PEDro were searched using an exploratory search strategy. The search, which was last updated in February 2024, included peer-reviewed studies on immersive VR applications providing respiratory rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and long COVID or post-COVID condition. Exclusion criteria were studies in clinical or inpatient settings, telemedicine, nonimmersive VR applications, and gray literature. Nine publications were included in this review. Findings were extracted and summarized from the studies according to the JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) method and thematically categorized. Topics covered were study characteristics, physiotherapeutic concept, clinical parameters, as well as usability and acceptability. RESULTS: The 9 publications included in the qualitative analysis were published in 2019-2023. Eight empirical studies were included: 4 followed a mixed methods design, 3 were qualitative studies, and 1 followed a quantitative method. One scoping review was included in the data analyses. Four of the included studies were on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The 9 studies demonstrated that VR-supported respiratory rehabilitation programs result in positive initial outcomes in terms of physical as well as psychological parameters. Particularly noteworthy was the increased motivation and compliance of patients. However, adverse effects and lack of usability are the barriers to the implementation of this innovative approach. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, VR is a promising technology for the implementation of individualized and flexible respiratory rehabilitation programs for patients with long COVID and post-COVID condition. Nevertheless, corresponding approaches are still under development and need to be more closely adapted to the needs of users. Further, the evidence was limited to pilot studies or a small number of patients, and no randomized controlled trials or long-term studies were part of the study selection. The included studies were performed by 4 groups of researchers: 3 from Europe and 1 from the United States.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The use of drones in the health care sector is increasingly being discussed against the background of the aging population and the growing shortage of skilled workers. In particular, the use of drones to provide medication in rural areas could bring advantages for the care of people with and without a need for care. However, there are hardly any data available that focus on the interaction between humans and drones. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to disclose and analyze factors associated with user acceptance of drone-based medication delivery to derive practice-relevant guidance points for participatory technology development (for apps and drones). METHODS: A controlled mixed methods study was conducted that supports the technical development process of an app design for drone-assisted drug delivery based on a participatory research design. For the quantitative analysis, established and standardized survey instruments to capture technology acceptance, such as the System Usability Scale; Technology Usage Inventory (TUI); and the Motivation, Engagement, and Thriving in User Experience model, were used. To avoid possible biasing effects from a continuous user development (eg, response shifts and learning effects), an ad hoc group was formed at each of the 3 iterative development steps and was subsequently compared with the consisting core group, which went through all 3 iterations. RESULTS: The study found a positive correlation between the usability of a pharmacy drone app and participants' willingness to use it (r=0.833). Participants' perception of usefulness positively influenced their willingness to use the app (r=0.487; TUI). Skepticism had a negative impact on perceived usability and willingness to use it (r=-0.542; System Usability Scale and r=-0.446; TUI). The study found that usefulness, skepticism, and curiosity explained most of the intention to use the app (F3,17=21.12; P<.001; R2=0.788; adjusted R2=0.751). The core group showed higher ratings on the intention to use the pharmacy drone app than the ad hoc groups. Results of the 2-tailed t tests showed a higher rating on usability for the third iteration of the core group compared with the first iteration. CONCLUSIONS: With the help of the participatory design, important aspects of acceptance could be revealed by the people involved in relation to drone-assisted drug delivery. For example, the length of time spent using the technology is an important factor for the intention to use the app. Technology-specific factors such as user-friendliness or curiosity are directly related to the use acceptance of the drone app. Results of this study showed that the more participants perceived their own competence in handling the app, the more they were willing to use the technology and the more they rated the app as usable.
