ABSTRACT
POINTS OF INTERESTThis study explored the experiences of using digital technology by older and disabled people who were social distancing and shielding during the first period of lockdown over the Covid 19 Pandemic.The pandemic saw a greater need for support to use digital technologies as face-to-face social activities were limited.The biggest change in the use of digital technology and support requested from older and disabled people over the lockdown was the growth of video calling.Digital technologies were also used for entertainment like watching online videos, playing computer games, and listening to audiobooks and music.The study found older and disabled people used digital technologies to help them, but the increased use could be challenging and stressful.Both initial and ongoing digital support must be available to older and disabled people, and digital technology support workers need knowledge and experience of digital technology and disability to offer good support. This study explored the uses of digital technologies by older and disabled people who were social distancing and shielding during the early Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. The study considers the benefits, difficulties, and technical support needs of these groups of people during this time. Using a case study methodology, in-depth interviews were undertaken with 11 older and disabled people recruited from a local digital support service, and their support workers. Five main themes were identified by the research team. These were: technology was a mixed blessing and caused frustration;technology use increased during lockdown;technology supported resilience and contributed to identity through 'stimulation, knowledge and friendship';technology needs to be accessible, and support was required to facilitate technology use. Understanding these experiences will enable policymakers, commissioners, and providers to develop better and more responsive digital support for older and disabled people in the future.
ABSTRACT
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Internal Medicine residents at the University of Utah DESCRIPTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges in delivering high-quality educational experiences in outpatient medicine. With social distancing measures in place, educational sessions are now often delivered virtually or asynchronously, generating a need for creative, engaging ways to deliver our ambulatory medicine curriculum. Our Internal Medicine residency program created a resident-led podcast called “Primary Care Anywhere.” This was integrated within ambulatory medicine rotations as an optional assignment to complete with protected academic time. Podcast episode topics consisted of high-yield topics in primary care. Residents were invited to contribute in a variety of ways: create and record a segment, host the episode, generate show notes and design an infographic. A review article and instructions for each task were provided. Residents worked on contributions independently and these were then compiled into one cohesive episode. The Primary Care Anywhere podcast is free and available to the general public. Episodes average 500-700 downloads. EVALUATION: We observed that residents readily volunteered for this optional activity and were very enthusiastic about participating during ambulatory rotations. A total of 40 residents have participated since its initiation in August of 2020, with contributions from faculty and medical students as well. When asked about the primary motivation for participating, 29% hoped to improve primary care knowledge, 21% wanted experience with podcast production, 29% wanted protected academic time and 14% wanted to build their CV. Residents who created and recorded segments felt that it was a very worthwhile experience, specifically that this type of content creation made them more accountable to learning the topic and, by the end, they felt like experts on their sub-topic. When participants were asked to identify which aspect of the experience they found most beneficial, 64% noted improved knowledge of the topic discussed and 21% cited their gained experience with podcast production. Resident contributors appreciated the opportunity to contribute to free, open-access medical education (FOAMed), and listeners felt it was a valuable supplement to their outpatient education. DISCUSSION / REFLECTION / LESSONS LEARNED: Especially in the setting of a pandemic, podcasts seem to be a popular way to learn among medical trainees. While many of our Internal Medicine residents report learning through listening to existing Internal Medicine podcasts, the vast majority had never had an opportunity to contribute to a podcast. Creating a resident-led podcast provided a creative new learning opportunity for residents to actively engage in content creation and peer education while improving clinical knowledge, gaining a new skill in podcast production and building their CV. This is a project that could be easily adopted by other residency programs.