Validity and reliability of a digital solution for cognitive assessment: The Brain on Track®.

Background: Cognitive assessment and the early detection of cognitive impairments have been enhanced by the use of remote digital solutions. The Brain on Track® is one of these digital solutions used in clinical practice for online screening and monitoring of cognitive functioning.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the validity and reliability of the Brain on Track® computerized test on a tablet device in adults.

A web step-based digital solution's impact on physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning of community-dwelling older adults: A mixed methods randomized and controlled trial.

Background: As the population ages, innovative responses are urgently needed to promote physical activity at scale. Thus, this study investigated whether a step-based activity mediated by a digital solution impacts the physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults. The secondary aims were to assess whether the same activity impacts cognitive and psychosocial functioning and explore participants' views towards the activity.

A Practice Guide for Physical Therapists Prescribing Physical Exercise for Older Adults.

Introduction: Physical activity and exercise are protective factors for physical and cognitive decline in older adults, but recent studies reveal that a large percentage of this population do not practice exercise at the levels recommended by international guidelines. The frequency, intensity, type, time, volume, and progression (FITT-VP) principles are a widely used method for prescribing physical exercise, allowing the development of a personalized exercise program that meets the needs of each individual.

Objectives: This masterclass is intended to serve as a professional application tool for physical therapists who prescribe physical exercise for older adults.

Unlocking the WHO's Age-Friendly Healthcare Principles: Portugal's Quest and Recommendations.

Countries worldwide are grappling with a pressing demographic challenge characterized by a growing older population. This poses a significant healthcare dilemma, presenting challenges for healthcare systems and providers. To address these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has devised a set of Age-Friendly Principles, aimed at optimizing healthcare provision for older people.

Implementation of the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Principles: A Case Study from Portugal.

Demographic ageing has emphasized the need to adapt current healthcare systems to the comorbidity profile of older adults. In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Age-Friendly Principles, but the approach to their implementation in the health systems still remains uncertain. This article intends to address this gap by assessing how the Principles are perceived and implemented in the Portuguese National Health Service (NHS), where this topic has recently been placed on the political agenda.

Designing a Health Strategy at Local Level: A Conceptual Framework for Local Governments.

This article addresses a gap in the literature regarding the design and implementation of health and well-being strategies by local governments. It presents a conceptual framework that can help local governments to include health and well-being among their political priorities by promoting the participation of local stakeholders and the community in general. The article also highlights the important role that local governments play in public health, especially in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between chronic low back pain and cognitive function.

This study aimed to identify and assess the evidence on the association between idiopathic chronic low back pain (LBP) and cognitive function in individuals with LBP. A secondary aim was to explore whether changes in cognitive function are associated with pain characteristics and psychological factors (eg, catastrophizing and fear of movement). Eleven studies were included in this systematic review, and four meta-analyses were conducted.

Perceptions on Extending the Use of Technology after the COVID-19 Pandemic Resolves: A Qualitative Study with Older Adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic of the last two years has affected the lives of many individuals, especially the most vulnerable and at-risk population groups, e.g., older adults.

The impact of users' cognitive function on evaluator perceptions of usability.

To explore the association between the user's cognitive function and usability reported by the evaluator. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a community-based sample. Data about participants' age, sex, education, sleep quantity, subjective memory complaints, and cognitive function were collected.

Security Mechanisms of a Mobile Health Application for Promoting Physical Activity among Older Adults.

Physical activity contributes to the maintenance of health conditions and functioning. However, the percentage of older adults who comply with the recommendations for physical activity levels is low when compared to the same percentages on younger groups. The SmartWalk system aims to encourage older adults to perform physical activity (i.

Methodological Quality of User-Centered Usability Evaluation of Ambient Assisted Living Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review.

This study aimed to determine the methodological quality of user-centered usability evaluation of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solutions by (i) identifying the characteristics of the AAL studies reporting on user-centered usability evaluation, (ii) systematizing the methods, procedures and instruments being used, and (iii) verifying if there is evidence of a common understanding on methods, procedures, and instruments for user-centered usability evaluation. An electronic search was conducted on Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore databases, combining relevant keywords. Then, titles and abstracts were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the full texts of the eligible studies were retrieved and screened for inclusion.

Age-Friendly Health Care: A Systematic Review.

Background: Health care provided to older adults must take into account the characteristics of chronic diseases and the comorbidities resulting from ageing. However, health services are still too oriented towards acute situations. To overcome this problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a set of Age-Friendly Principles that seek to optimize the provision of health care for this population.

Procedures of User-Centered Usability Assessment for Digital Solutions: Scoping Review of Reviews Reporting on Digital Solutions Relevant for Older Adults.

Background: The assessment of usability is a complex process that involves several steps and procedures. It is important to standardize the evaluation and reporting of usability procedures across studies to guide researchers, facilitate comparisons across studies, and promote high-quality usability studies. The first step to standardizing is to have an overview of how usability study procedures are reported across the literature.

Pain assessment in cerebral palsy: a systematic review of measurement properties and evaluation using the COSMIN checklist.

Purpose: This systematic literature review aims to analyse the methodological quality of instruments available to assess pain in Cerebral Palsy (CP), according to the COSMIN guidelines and checklist.

Materials And Methods: Electronic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PEdro, Scielo, Scopus and Academic Search Complete (EBSCO host) for articles on measurement properties of self-report, proxy or observational instruments.

Results: A total of 14 instruments were identified.

Effectiveness of Mobile Applications Running on Smartphones to Promote Physical Activity: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Mobile applications reach a high number of individuals at low costs. This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of mobile application-based interventions to increase physical activity (PA) and self-efficacy and to decrease sedentarism. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs investigating the effect of PA interventions using an app compared to no intervention or traditional interventions were included.

Methodological Quality of Manuscripts Reporting on the Usability of Mobile Applications for Pain Assessment and Management: A Systematic Review.

Background: There has been increasing use of mobile mHealth applications, including pain assessment and pain self-management apps. The usability of mHealth applications has vital importance as it affects the quality of apps. Thus, usability assessment with methodological rigor is essential to minimize errors and undesirable consequences, as well as to increase user acceptance.

Mobile Apps to Quantify Aspects of Physical Activity: a Systematic Review on its Reliability and Validity.

The purpose of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the evidence on the accuracy (validity) and consistency (reliability) of mobile apps used to quantify physical activity. Systematic literature searches were conducted in Pubmed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Academic Search Complete and IEEE Xplore. Studies were included if they reported on the validity and/or reliability of a mobile application aiming primarily at measuring physical activity in humans with or without pathology.

A Parser to Support the Definition of Access Control Policies and Rules Using Natural Languages.

As a consequence of the epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases, integrated care approaches are required, not solely focused on medical purposes, but also on a range of essential activities for the maintenance of the individuals' quality of life. In order to allow the exchange of information, these integrated approaches might be supported by digital platforms, which need to provide trustful environments and to guarantee the integrity of the information exchanged. Therefore, together with mechanisms such as authentication, logging or auditing, the definition of access control policies assumes a paramount importance.

A Scale to Assess the Methodological Quality of Studies Assessing Usability of Electronic Health Products and Services: Delphi Study Followed by Validity and Reliability Testing.

Background: The usability of electronic health (eHealth) and mobile health apps is of paramount importance as it impacts the quality of care. Methodological quality assessment is a common practice in the field of health for different designs and types of studies. However, we were unable to find a scale to assess the methodological quality of studies on the usability of eHealth products or services.

The Social Platform: Profiling FHIR to Support Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

The care networks of community-dwelling older adults require cooperation between different actors, including health and social caregivers, assistant providers, care receivers, and their informal caregivers (e.g. relatives or friends), across time, space, and organizational boundaries.

Features, Behavioral Change Techniques, and Quality of the Most Popular Mobile Apps to Measure Physical Activity: Systematic Search in App Stores.

Background: It is estimated that 23% of adults and 55% of older adults do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. Thus, improving the levels of physical activity is of paramount importance, but it requires the use of low-cost resources that facilitate universal access without depleting the health system. The high number of apps available constitutes an opportunity, but it also makes it quite difficult for the layperson to select the most appropriate app.

Musculoskeletal Multisite Pain and Patterns of Association After Adjusting for Sleep, Physical Activity, and Screen Time in Adolescents.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

Objective: This study aims to describe how pain at multiple body sites is associated after controlling for other predictive factors such as age, sex, sleeping hours, time spent in physical activity, and time spent in screening based activities in adolescents aged 13 to 19 years.

Summary Of Background Data: The prevalence of multisite pain in adolescents is high, but studies investigating the patterns of association between painful body sites are scarce.

Functioning and primary healthcare utilization in older adults: a 1-year follow-up study.

Background/purpose: Older adults are high users of healthcare services, mainly due to health conditions and their impact on daily activities, challenging the ability of health systems to provide timely and high-quality care. Conceivably, using disability-related variables to predict future healthcare utilization could contribute to reduce both older adults' disability and healthcare costs. This study aimed to explore the association between aspects of disability and older adults' primary healthcare utilization and hospitalization over a period of 1 year.

Validation of European Portuguese Version of the Kwazo Instrument.

Kwazo instrument was designed to assess the customer's satisfaction with prescription and attribution services of assistive technology. This paper presents the cross-cultural translation and validation of the European Portuguese version of the Kwazo, whose psychometric proprieties were assessed by customers of rehabilitation facilities of North and Centre of Portugal.

Remote Care Technology: A Systematic Overview.

The present study was based on a systematic review of reviews and meta-analyses and aimed to identify technologies being used to provide home monitoring to support older adults with chronic diseases and to promote their empowerment, as well as to identify how these technologies impact health related outcomes.