A web-compatible instrument for measuring self-reported disease activity in arthritis.

Objective: To describe a Web-based computer health assessment survey for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the survey in comparison with current paper versions.

Methods: Utilizing data from a study on RA, we compared results from 43 patients attending a university-based clinic who were each given a paper and a demonstration computer version of a patient self-assessment questionnaire including multiple-choice questions from a multi-dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ); visual analog scales (VAS) for pain, fatigue, and global disease severity; and a tender and swollen joint count reporting tool. Patients were given optional followup surveys to determine their opinion of the computer program.

IMPACT4: a framework for rapid, modular construction of web-based patient decision support systems and preference measurement tools.

To support the rapid creation of software systems that provide patients with decision support and measure patients' preferences, we have develop a framework called iMPACT4. The framework, which combines XML and Flash, has rich client-side state navigation control capabilities, reusable components, cross-platform compatibility, and facilitated access for persons with disabilities. It has many of the advanced navigation capabilities of complex server controlled web software while retaining an architecture that allows automated generation of web sites similar to our previous software system iMPACT3.

Design and pilot evaluation of an internet smoking cessation program.

Relatively little is known about how to use the Internet to promote health behavioral change. This article describes a multiple-contact Internet smoking cessation program with an 8-week web-based course, online tools for self-monitoring of behaviors, and computer-tailored e-mail messages timed to enrollees' quit efforts. In a pilot study in 49 smokers, we found that enrollees returned to the website a median of 2 times and completed an average of 2 of 8 educational modules.

The Internet as a research tool: worth the price of admission?

The Internet is a rich multimodal communication environment where researchers can often recruit large numbers of participants for survey studies at low cost; however, there are many unanswered questions about the use of this technology in medical research. An important question is whether the results obtained in such surveys are generalizable to other populations. In this article, we describe different approaches for recruitment of participants on the Internet and how specific approaches may limit generalizability.