Web-Based Peer Support Interventions for Adults Living With Chronic Conditions: Scoping Review.

Background: Globally, 1 in 3 adults live with multiple chronic conditions. Thus, effective interventions are needed to prevent and manage these chronic conditions and to reduce the associated health care costs. Teaching effective self-management practices to people with chronic diseases is one strategy to address the burden of chronic conditions.

Web-Based Health Coaching for Spinal Cord Injury: Results From a Mixed Methods Feasibility Evaluation.

Background: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at high risk of experiencing secondary conditions like pressure injuries. Self-management programs may reduce the risk of complications, but traditional programs have proven to be insufficiently tailored to the needs of people with SCI. To overcome barriers to self-management support, a web-based, self-management program was developed for Canadians with SCI called SCI & U.

Participatory Design of an Online Self-Management Tool for Users With Spinal Cord Injury: Qualitative Study.

Background: Rehospitalization rates resulting from secondary conditions in persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are high. Self-management programs for many chronic conditions have been associated with decreases in hospital readmissions. However, in the SCI community, evidence suggests that satisfaction with traditional self-management programs is low.

Online peer support interventions for chronic conditions: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Peer support is receiving increasing attention as both an effective and cost-effective intervention method to support the self-management of chronic health conditions. Given that an increasing proportion of Canadians have internet access and the increasing implementation of web-based interventions, online peer support interventions are a promising option to address the burden of chronic diseases. Thus, the specific research question of this scoping review is the following: METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will use the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley as well as Levac and colleagues for the current scoping review.

Using the theoretical domains framework to guide the development of a self-management program for individuals with spinal cord injury: Results from a national stakeholder advisory group.

Objective: To determine the implementation considerations for a targeted self-management program for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from the perspective of a national stakeholder advisory group using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) as a guide.

Design: Qualitative descriptive approach.

Setting: Two focus groups held at the 6 National Spinal Cord Injury Conference (October 2-4, 2014) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Acceptability and Feasibility of an Evidence-Based Requisition for Bone Mineral Density Testing in Clinical Practice.

The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of primary care providers (PCPs) using an evidence-based requisition for bone mineral density (BMD) testing. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Participants were given 3 BMD Recommended Use Requisitions (RUR) to use over a 2-month period.

Evaluation of Automated Fracture Risk Assessment Based on the Canadian Association of Radiologists and Osteoporosis Canada Assessment Tool.

Fracture risk assessments are not always clearly communicated on bone mineral density (BMD) reports; evidence suggests that structured reporting (SR) tools may improve report clarity. The aim of this study is to compare fracture risk assessments automatically assigned by SR software in accordance with Canadian Association of Radiologists and Osteoporosis Canada (CAROC) recommendations to assessments from experts on narrative BMD reports. Charts for 500 adult patients who recently received a BMD exam were sampled from across University of Toronto's Joint Department of Medical Imaging.

Understanding Referral Patterns for Bone Mineral Density Testing among Family Physicians: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Introduction. Evidence of inappropriate bone mineral density (BMD) testing has been identified in terms of overtesting in low risk women and undertesting among patients at high risk. In light of these phenomena, the objective of this study was to understand the referral patterns for BMD testing among Ontario's family physicians (FPs).

Impact of a change in physician reimbursement on bone mineral density testing in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study.

Background: On Apr. 1, 2008, a revision was made to the fee schedule for bone mineral density testing with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in the province of Ontario, Canada, reducing the frequency of repeat screening in individuals at low risk of osteoporosis. We evaluated whether the change in physician reimbursement successfully promoted appropriate bone mineral density testing, with reduced use among women at low risk and increased use among women and men at higher risk of osteoporosis-related fracture.

Capture of osteoporosis and fracture information in an electronic medical record database from primary care.

In a large database of EMR records, we explore: 1) completeness in capture of bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores required for diagnosis of osteoporosis; 2) concordance of BMD exam information with other osteoporosis information; and 3) evidence of osteoporosis screening among fracture patients. To explore completeness of exam capture, BMD exams in the EMR were related to a provincial billing database. To explore concordance of information and screening rates, 7500 EMR records were reviewed for osteoporosis and fracture details.

Robust tracking of the upper limb for functional stroke assessment.

We present a robust 3-D parts-based (PB) tracking system designed to follow the upper limb of stroke survivors during desktop activities. This system fits a probabilistic model of the arm to sequences of images taken from multiple angles. The arm model defines shapes and colors of limbs and limb configurations that are more or less likely.

Recent trends in the development and evaluation of assistive robotic manipulation devices.

This review explores recent trends in the development and evaluation of assistive robotic arms, both prosthetic and externally mounted. Evaluations have been organized according to the CATOR taxonomy of assistive device outcomes, which takes into consideration device effectiveness, social significance, and impact on subjective well-being. Questions that have informed the review include: (1) Are robotic arms being comprehensively evaluated along axes of the CATOR taxonomy? (2) Are definitions of effectiveness in accordance with the priorities of users? (3) What gaps in robotic arm evaluation exist, and how might these best be addressed? (4) What further advances can be expected in the next 15 years? Results highlight the need for increased standardization of evaluation methods, increased emphasis on the social significance (i.

Video based analysis of standing balance in a community center.

Postural sway is a well known measure of postural stability in the elderly. Sway measurements, however, are typically made using expensive equipment in a laboratory. We report on efforts to make clinically significant and quantitative measurements of postural sway in a community center with a single un-calibrated video camera.

The tolerance for visual feedback distortions in a virtual environment.

We are interested in using a virtual environment with a robotic device to extend the strength and mobility of people recovering from strokes by steering them beyond what they had thought they were capable of doing. Previously, we identified just noticeable differences (JND) of a finger's force production and position displacement in a virtual environment. In this paper, we extend this investigation by identifying peoples' tolerance for distortions of visual representations of force production and positional displacement in a virtual environment.