The Usability and Feasibility of a Dietary Intake Self-Monitoring Application in a Population with Varying Literacy Levels.

Objectives: Our aim was to study how hemodialysis patients with varying levels of literacy would use a diet and fluid intake monitoring mobile application (DIMA-P) and what would be its impact on their dietary behaviors.

Materials And Methods: We developed a mobile application using user-centered methods and informed by the Integrated Theory of Health Behavior Change (ITHBC). Eight hemodialysis patients were recruited to use the application to record and monitor their diet and fluid intakes for a 6-week study.

Adopting Diffractive Reading to Advance HCI Research: A Case Study on Technology for Aging.

Researchers in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) have long developed technologies for older adults. Recently, researchers are engaging in critical reflections of these approaches. IoT for aging in place is one area around which these conflicting discourses have converged, likely in part driven by government and industry interest.

The miscarriage circle of care: towards leveraging online spaces for social support.

Background: Lack of social support during and after miscarriage can greatly affect mental wellbeing. With miscarriages being a common experience, there remains a discrepancy in the social support received after a pregnancy is lost.

Method: 42 people who had experienced at least one miscarriage took part in an Asynchronous Remote Community (ARC) study.

Studying the Formation of an Older Adult-Led Makerspace.

Makerspaces are being introduced in a wide variety of settings, including community settings such as schools and libraries. Older adults are one group for whom making agendas are being pursued, with envisioned outcomes such as supporting agency and well-being. However, research on making and DIY with older adults typically study individuals who are already engaged in making practices or bring individuals in to a technology environment that has already been created.

Expanding Human Computer Interaction Methods to Understand User Needs in the Design Process of Personal Health Systems.

Objectives:  To review innovative human computer interaction methods researchers utilize to identify stakeholders' needs that inform the design of personal health systems outside of clinical environments.

Methods:  A selective review of recent literature.

Results:  Summaries of exemplar needs analysis papers showing how researchers utilize novel methods to surface the lived experiences of users.

Mind the Gap: Assessing the Disconnect Between Postpartum Health Information Desired and Health Information Received.

Introduction: Seeking and receiving health information are critical aspects of prenatal and postpartum care; however, many informational sources lack postpartum content. This study explores the gaps between information desired and information received postpartum and identifies the sources women use for health information seeking, with an emphasis on emergent online and mobile phone-based resources.

Methods: Participants were recruited from our community partners' client base for a cross-sectional study.

Postpartum Health Information Seeking Using Mobile Phones: Experiences of Low-Income Mothers.

Objectives To assess low-income mothers' perceptions of their postpartum information needs; describe their information seeking behavior; explore their use of mobile technology to address those needs; and to contribute to the sparse literature on postpartum health and wellness. Methods Exploratory community-based qualitative approach. Interviewees were recruited among clients of community partners and had children aged 48 months and under.

Integrating community-based participatory research and informatics approaches to improve the engagement and health of underserved populations.

Objective: We compare 5 health informatics research projects that applied community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches with the goal of extending existing CBPR principles to address issues specific to health informatics research.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a cross-case analysis of 5 diverse case studies with 1 common element: integration of CBPR approaches into health informatics research. After reviewing publications and other case-related materials, all coauthors engaged in collaborative discussions focused on CBPR.

Formative evaluation of a mobile liquid portion size estimation interface for people with varying literacy skills.

Chronically ill people, especially those with low literacy skills, often have difficulty estimating portion sizes of liquids to help them stay within their recommended fluid limits. There is a plethora of mobile applications that can help people monitor their nutritional intake but unfortunately these applications require the user to have high literacy and numeracy skills for portion size recording. In this paper, we present two studies in which the low- and the high-fidelity versions of a portion size estimation interface, designed using the cognitive strategies adults employ for portion size estimation during diet recall studies, was evaluated by a chronically ill population with varying literacy skills.

Using a mobile application to self-monitor diet and fluid intake among adults receiving hemodialysis.

Hemodialysis patients have difficulty self-managing a complex dietary and fluid regimen. The purpose of this feasibility study was to pilot test an electronic self-monitoring intervention based on social cognitive theory. During a 6-week intervention, 24 participants self-monitored diet and fluid intake using the Dietary Intake Monitoring Application (DIMA), and 20 participants served as controls by monitoring their activity using the Daily Activity Monitor Application (DAMA).

An offline mobile nutrition monitoring intervention for varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis: a pilot study examining usage and usability.

Objective: Design and evaluation of the dietary intake monitoring application (DIMA) to assist varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis to adhere to their prescribed dietary regimen.

Methods: An iterative, user-centered design process informed by Bandura's social cognitive theory was employed to design DIMA--a mobile application that utilizes touch-screen, visual interfaces; barcode scanning; and voice recording to assist varying-literacy patients receiving hemodialysis to self-monitor their diet. A pilot field study was conducted where 18 patients receiving hemodialysis were recruited face-to-face from two dialysis facilities to use DIMA for 6 weeks.

Two complementary personal medication management applications developed on a common platform: case report.

Background: Adverse drug events are a major safety issue in ambulatory care. Improving medication self-management could reduce these adverse events. Researchers have developed medication applications for tethered personal health records (PHRs), but little has been reported about medication applications for interoperable PHRs.

Older adults with multi-morbidity: medication management processes and design implications for personal health applications.

Background: Older adults often have multiple chronic problems requiring them to manage complex medication regimens overseen by various clinicians. Personal health applications (PHAs) show promise assisting in medication self-management, but adoption of new computer technologies by this population is challenging. Optimizing the utility of PHAs requires a thorough understanding of older adults' needs, preferences, and practices.

The Design of a Mobile Portion Size Estimation Interface for a Low Literacy Population.

Being aware of one's portion sizes is a key component of maintaining a healthy diet, however, it is difficult for individuals especially low literacy populations to estimate their consumption. Nutritional monitoring applications can help but most of them are designed for people with high literacy and numeracy skills. In this paper, we designed and evaluated six portion size estimation interfaces through a Wizard of Oz based experiment using low-fidelity prototypes with ten varying literacy individuals.

Designing a personal health application for older adults to manage medications: a comprehensive case study.

Older adults with multiple chronic conditions often go through care transitions where they move between care facilities or providers during their treatment. These transitions are often uncoordinated and can imperil patients by omitted, duplicative, or contradictory care plans. Older adults sometimes feel overwhelmed with the new responsibility of coordinating the care plan with providers and changing their medication regimes.

Colorado Care Tablet: the design of an interoperable Personal Health Application to help older adults with multimorbidity manage their medications.

Medication errors are common and cause serious health issues during care transitions, particularly for older adults with multiple chronic conditions. In this paper, we discuss the design and evaluation of the Colorado Care Tablet, a Personal Health Application (PHA) that helps older adults and their lay caregivers manage their medication regimes during care transitions. We created a PHA that older adults with limited computing experience could easily use by designing an application based on their real world artifacts and workflows.

Merging health literacy with computer technology: self-managing diet and fluid intake among adult hemodialysis patients.

Objective: The Dietary Intake Monitoring Application (DIMA) is an electronic dietary self-monitor developed for use on a personal digital assistant (PDA). This paper describes how computer, information, numerical, and visual literacy were considered in development of DIMA.

Methods: An iterative, participatory design approach was used.