Effectiveness of Computer-Tailored Health Communication in Increasing Physical Activity in People With or at Risk of Long-Term Conditions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity (PA) is beneficial for enhancing and sustaining both physical and mental well-being as well as for the management of preexisting conditions. Computer-tailored health communication (CTHC) has been shown to be effective in increasing PA and many other health behavior changes in the general population. However, individuals with or at risk of long-term conditions face unique barriers that may limit the applicability of CTHC interventions to this population. Few studies have focused on this cohort, providing limited evidence for the effectiveness of CTHC in promoting PA. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness of CTHC in increasing PA in individuals with or at risk of long-term conditions. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effect of CTHC in increasing PA in people with or at risk of long-term conditions. Hedges g was used to calculate the mean effect size. The total effect size was pooled and weighted using inverse variance. When possible, potential moderator variables were synthesized, and their effectiveness was evaluated by subgroups analysis with Q test for between-group heterogeneity Qb. Potential moderator variables included behavior change theories and models providing the fundamental logic for CTHC design, behavior change techniques and tailoring strategies to compose messages, and computer algorithms to achieve tailoring. Several methods were used to examine potential publication bias in the results, including the funnel plot, Egger test, Begg test, fail-safe N test, and trim-and-fill method. RESULTS: In total, 24 studies were included in the systematic review for qualitative analysis and 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Significant small to medium effect size values were found when comparing CTHC to general health information (Hedges g=0.16; P<.001) and to no information sent to participants (Hedges g=0.29; P<.001). Half of the included studies had a low to moderate risk of bias, and the remaining studies had a moderate to high risk of bias. Although the results of the meta-analysis indicated no evidence of publication bias, caution is required when drawing definitive conclusions due to the limited number of studies in each subgroup (N≤10). Message-tailoring strategies, implementation strategies, behavior change theories and models, and behavior change techniques were synthesized from the 24 studies. No strong evidence was found from subgroup analyses on the effectiveness of using particular behavior change theories and models or from using particular message-tailoring and implementation strategies. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that CTHC is effective in increasing PA for people with or at risk of long-term conditions, with significant small to medium effects compared with general health information or no information. Further studies are needed to guide design decisions for maximizing the effectiveness of CTHC.

A qualitative study exploring the effect of communicating with partially intelligible speech.

Few studies have investigated how individuals with partially intelligible speech choose to communicate, including how, when, and why they might use a speech-generating device (SGD). This study aimed to add to the literature by exploring how this group of individuals use different communication strategies. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 10 participants with partially intelligible speech with the aim of investigating participants' perceptions of modes of communication and communication strategies. Transcripts were analyzed using Framework Analysis to investigate the role of SGDs alongside other communication strategies. Factors that influence why, when, and how a person chooses to communicate were identified and these were interpreted as an explanatory model of communication with partially intelligible speech. Participants described how they made the decision whether to attempt to communicate at all and then which communication method to use. Decision-making was influenced by the importance of the message, how much time is available, past experience, and the communication partner. Each communication attempt adds to an individuals' experience of communicating and influences subsequent decisions. This study suggests that individuals with partially intelligible speech are at risk of reduced communication environments and networks and that current SGDs may not be designed in a way that recognizes their particular needs.

Exploring factors that affect the uptake and sustainability of videoconferencing for healthcare provision for older adults in care homes: a realist evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Videoconferencing has been proposed as a way of improving access to healthcare for older adults in care homes. Despite this, effective uptake of videoconferencing remains varied. This study evaluates a videoconferencing service for care home staff seeking support from healthcare professionals for the care of residents. The aim was to explore factors affecting the uptake and sustainability of videoconferencing in care homes, to establish what works for whom, in which circumstances and respects. The findings informed recommendations for commissioners and strategic managers on how best to implement videoconferencing for remote healthcare provision in care homes for older adults. METHODS: Realist evaluation was used to develop, refine and test theories around the uptake and maintenance of videoconferencing in three care homes across Yorkshire and the Humber, England. The care homes were selected using maximum variation sampling regarding the extent to which they used videoconferencing. A developmental inquiry framework and realist interviews were used to identify Context, Mechanism and Outcome Configurations (CMOCs) regarding uptake and sustainability of the service. Participants included care home residents (aged > 65) and staff, relatives and strategic managers of care home chains. The interviews were an iterative process conducted alongside data analysis. Transcripts of audio recordings were entered into NVIVO 12, initially coded into themes, then hypotheses developed, refined and tested. RESULTS: Outcomes were generated in relation to two main contextual factors, these were: (1) communication culture in the home and (2) the prior knowledge and experience that staff have of videoconferencing. The key facilitators identified were aspects of leadership, social links within the home and psychological safety which promoted shared learning and confidence in using the technology. CONCLUSIONS: Videoconferencing is a valuable tool, but successful implementation and sustainability are dependent on care home culture and staff training to promote confidence through positive and supported experiences.

Older Adults' Perspectives on Using Digital Technology to Maintain Good Mental Health: Interactive Group Study.

BACKGROUND: A growing number of apps to support good mental health and well-being are available on digital platforms. However, very few studies have examined older adults' attitudes toward the use of these apps, despite increasing uptake of digital technologies by this demographic. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to explore older adults' perspectives on technology to support good mental health. METHODS: A total of 15 older adults aged 50 years or older, in two groups, participated in sessions to explore the use of digital technologies to support mental health. Interactive activities were designed to capture participants' immediate reactions to apps and websites designed to support mental health and to explore their experiences of using technology for these purposes in their own lives. Template analysis was used to analyze transcripts of the group discussions. RESULTS: Older adults were motivated to turn to technology to improve mood through mechanisms of distraction, normalization, and facilitated expression of mental states, while aiming to reduce burden on others. Perceived barriers to use included fear of consequences and the impact of low mood on readiness to engage with technology, as well as a lack of prior knowledge applicable to digital technologies. Participants were aware of websites available to support mental health, but awareness alone did not motivate use. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults are motivated to use digital technologies to improve their mental health, but barriers remain that developers need to address for this population to access them.

A Virtual Agent to Support Individuals Living With Physical and Mental Comorbidities: Co-Design and Acceptability Testing.

BACKGROUND: Individuals living with long-term physical health conditions frequently experience co-occurring mental health problems. This comorbidity has a significant impact on an individual's levels of emotional distress, health outcomes, and associated health care utilization. As health care services struggle to meet demand and care increasingly moves to the community, digital tools are being promoted to support patients to self-manage their health. One such technology is the autonomous virtual agent (chatbot, conversational agent), which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to process the user's written or spoken natural language and then to select or construct the corresponding appropriate responses. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to co-design the content, functionality, and interface modalities of an autonomous virtual agent to support self-management for patients with an exemplar long-term condition (LTC; chronic pulmonary obstructive disease [COPD]) and then to assess the acceptability and system content. METHODS: We conducted 2 co-design workshops and a proof-of-concept implementation of an autonomous virtual agent with natural language processing capabilities. This implementation formed the basis for video-based scenario testing of acceptability with adults with a diagnosis of COPD and health professionals involved in their care. RESULTS: Adults (n=6) with a diagnosis of COPD and health professionals (n=5) specified 4 priority self-management scenarios for which they would like to receive support: at the time of diagnosis (information provision), during acute exacerbations (crisis support), during periods of low mood (emotional support), and for general self-management (motivation). From the scenario testing, 12 additional adults with COPD felt the system to be both acceptable and engaging, particularly with regard to internet-of-things capabilities. They felt the system would be particularly useful for individuals living alone. CONCLUSIONS: Patients did not explicitly separate mental and physical health needs, although the content they developed for the virtual agent had a clear psychological approach. Supported self-management delivered via an autonomous virtual agent was acceptable to the participants. A co-design process has allowed the research team to identify key design principles, content, and functionality to underpin an autonomous agent for delivering self-management support to older adults living with COPD and potentially other LTCs.

Using Persuasive Technology to Increase Physical Activity in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Encouraging Regular Walking: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Opinions and Preferences.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PwCOPD) often experience breathlessness and fatigue, making physical activity challenging. Although many persuasive technologies (such as mobile phone apps) have been designed to support physical activity among members of the general population, current technologies aimed at PwCOPD are underdeveloped and only use a limited range of persuasive technology design principles. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore how acceptable different persuasive technology design principles were considered to be in supporting and encouraging physical activity among PwCOPD. METHODS: Three prototypes for mobile apps using different persuasive technology design principles as defined by the persuasive systems design (PSD) model-namely, dialogue support, primary task support, and social support-were developed. Opinions of these prototypes were explored through 28 interviews with PwCOPD, carers, and the health care professionals (HCPs) involved in their care and questionnaires completed by 87 PwCOPD. Participants also ranked how likely individual techniques (eg, competition) would be to convince them to use a technology designed to support physical activity. Data were analyzed using framework analysis, Friedman tests, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests and a convergent mixed methods design was used to integrate findings. RESULTS: The prototypes for mobile apps were received positively by participants. The prototype that used a dialogue support approach was identified as the most likely to be used or recommended by those interviewed, and was perceived as more persuasive than both of the other prototypes (Z=-3.06, P=.002; Z=-5.50, P<.001) by those who completed the questionnaire. PwCOPD identified dialogue support and primary task support techniques as more likely to convince them to use a technology than social support techniques (Z=-5.00, P<.001; Z=-4.92, P<.001, respectively). Opinions of social support techniques such as competition and collaboration were divided. CONCLUSIONS: Dialogue support and primary task support approaches are considered to be both acceptable and likely to be persuasive by PwCOPD, carers, and HCPs. In the future, these approaches should be considered when designing apps to encourage physical activity by PwCOPD.

Informing the Design of "Lifestyle Monitoring" Technology for the Detection of Health Deterioration in Long-Term Conditions: A Qualitative Study of People Living With Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Health technologies are being developed to help people living at home manage long-term conditions. One such technology is "lifestyle monitoring" (LM), a telecare technology based on the idea that home activities may be monitored unobtrusively via sensors to give an indication of changes in health-state. However, questions remain about LM technology: how home activities change when participants experience differing health-states; and how sensors might capture clinically important changes to inform timely interventions. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper was to report the findings of a study aimed at identifying changes in activity indicative of important changes in health in people with long-term conditions, particularly changes indicative of exacerbation, by exploring the relationship between home activities and health among people with heart failure (HF). We aimed to add to the knowledge base informing the development of home monitoring technologies designed to detect health deterioration in order to facilitate early intervention and avoid hospital admissions. METHODS: This qualitative study utilized semistructured interviews to explore everyday activities undertaken during the three health-states of HF: normal days, bad days, and exacerbations. Potential recruits were identified by specialist nurses and attendees at an HF support group. The sample was purposively selected to include a range of experience of living with HF. RESULTS: The sample comprised a total of 20 people with HF aged 50 years and above, and 11 spouses or partners of the individuals with HF. All resided in Northern England. Participant accounts revealed that home activities are in part shaped by the degree of intrusion from HF symptoms. During an exacerbation, participants undertook activities specifically to ease symptoms, and detailed activity changes were identified. Everyday activity was also influenced by a range of factors other than health. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the importance of careful development of LM technology to identify changes in activities that occur during clinically important changes in health. These detailed activity changes need to be considered by developers of LM sensors, platforms, and algorithms intended to detect early signs of deterioration. Results suggest that for LM to move forward, sensor set-up should be personalized to individual circumstances and targeted at individual health conditions. LM needs to take account of the uncertainties that arise from placing technology within the home, in order to inform sensor set-up and data interpretation. This targeted approach is likely to yield more clinically meaningful data and address some of the ethical issues of remote monitoring.

Feasibility study of portable technology for weight loss and HbA1c control in type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The study investigated the feasibility of conducting a future Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a mobile health (mHealth) intervention for weight loss and HbA1c reduction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: The intervention was a small wearable mHealth device used over 12 weeks by overweight people with T2DM with the intent to lose weight and reduce their HbA1c level. A 4 week maintenance period using the device followed. The device records physical activity level and information about food consumption, and provides motivational feedback based on energy balance. Twenty-seven participants were randomised to receive no intervention; intervention alone; or intervention plus weekly motivational support. All participants received advice on diet and exercise at the start of the study. Weight and HbA1c levels were recorded at baseline and weeks 6, 12, and 16. Qualitative interviews were conducted with participants who received the intervention to explore their experiences of using the device and involvement in the study including the training received. RESULTS: Overall the device was perceived to be well-liked, acceptable, motivational and easy to use by participants. Some logistical changes were required during the feasibility study, including shortening of the study duration and relaxation of participant inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics of weight and HbA1c data showed promising trends of weight loss and HbA1c reduction in both intervention groups, although this should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS: A number of methodological recommendations for a future RCT emerged from the current feasibility study. The mHealth device was acceptable and promising for helping individuals with T2DM to reduce their HbA1c and lose weight. Devices with similar features should be tested further in larger studies which follow these methodological recommendations.

Implementing solutions to improve and expand telehealth adoption: participatory action research in four community healthcare settings.

BACKGROUND: Adoption of telehealth has been slower than anticipated, and little is known about the service improvements that help to embed telehealth into routine practice or the role of frontline staff in improving adoption. This paper reports on participatory action research carried out in four community health settings using telehealth for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Heart Failure. METHODS: To inform the action research, in-depth case studies of each telehealth service were conducted (May 2012-June 2013). Each service was then supported by researchers through two cycles of action research to implement changes to increase adoption of telehealth, completed over a seven month period (July 2013-April 2014). The action research was studied via observation of multi-stakeholder workshops, analysis of implementation plans, and focus groups. RESULTS: Action research participants included 57 staff and one patient, with between eight and 20 participants per site. The case study findings were identified as a key source of information for planning change, with sites addressing common challenges identified through this work. For example, refining referral criteria; standardizing how and when patients are monitored; improving data sharing; and establishing evaluation processes. Sites also focused on raising awareness of telehealth to increase adoption in other clinical teams and to help secure future financial investment for telehealth, which was required because of short-term funding arrangements. Specific solutions varied due to local infrastructures, resources, and opinion, as well as previous service developments. Local telehealth champions played an important role in engaging multiple stakeholders in the study. CONCLUSIONS: Action research enabled services to make planned changes to telehealth and share learning across multiple stakeholders about how and when to use telehealth. However, adoption was impeded by continual changes affecting telehealth and wider service provision, which also hindered implementation efforts and affected motivation of staff to engage with the action research, particularly where local decision-makers were not engaged in the study. Wider technological barriers also limited the potential for change, as did uncertainties about goals for telehealth investment, thereby making it difficult to identify outcomes for demonstrating the added value over existing practice.

Examining the use of telehealth in community nursing: identifying the factors affecting frontline staff acceptance and telehealth adoption.

AIMS: To examine frontline staff acceptance of telehealth and identify barriers to and enablers of successful adoption of remote monitoring for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Heart Failure. BACKGROUND: The use of telehealth in the UK has not developed at the pace and scale anticipated by policy. Many existing studies report frontline staff acceptance as a key barrier, however data are limited and there is little evidence of the adoption of telehealth in routine practice. DESIGN: Case studies of four community health services in England that use telehealth to monitor patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Heart Failure. METHODS: Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 84 nursing and other frontline staff; and 21 managers and key stakeholders; data collected May 2012-June 2013. FINDINGS: Staff attitudes ranged from resistance to enthusiasm, with varied opinions about the motives for investing in telehealth and the potential impact on nursing roles. Having reliable and flexible technology and dedicated resources for telehealth work were identified as essential in helping to overcome early barriers to acceptance, along with appropriate staff training and a partnership approach to implementation. Early successes were also important, encouraging staff to use telehealth and facilitating clinical learning and increased adoption. CONCLUSIONS: The mainstreaming of telehealth hinges on clinical 'buy-in'. Where barriers to successful implementation exist, clinicians can lose faith in using technology to perform tasks traditionally delivered in person. Addressing barriers is therefore crucial if clinicians are to adopt telehealth into routine practice.

Home telehealth uptake and continued use among heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Home telehealth has the potential to benefit heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, however large-scale deployment is yet to be achieved. PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to assess levels of uptake of home telehealth by patients with HF and COPD and the factors that determine whether patients do or do not accept and continue to use telehealth. METHODS: This research performs a narrative synthesis of the results from included studies. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies that reported rates of refusal and/or withdrawal found that almost one third of patients who were offered telehealth refused and one fifth of participants who did accept later abandoned telehealth. Seven barriers to, and nine facilitators of, home telehealth use were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Research reports need to provide more details regarding telehealth refusal and abandonment, in order to understand the reasons why patients decide not to use telehealth.

The SMART personalised self-management system for congestive heart failure: results of a realist evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Technology has the potential to provide support for self-management to people with congestive heart failure (CHF). This paper describes the results of a realist evaluation of the SMART Personalised Self-Management System (PSMS) for CHF. METHODS: The PSMS was used, at home, by seven people with CHF. Data describing system usage and usability as well as questionnaire and interview data were evaluated in terms of the context, mechanism and outcome hypotheses (CMOs) integral to realist evaluation. RESULTS: The CHF PSMS improved heart failure related knowledge in those with low levels of knowledge at baseline, through providing information and quizzes. Furthermore, participants perceived the self-regulatory aspects of the CHF PSMS as being useful in encouraging daily walking. The CMOs were revised to describe the context of use, and how this influences both the mechanisms and the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Participants with CHF engaged with the PSMS despite some technological problems. Some positive effects on knowledge were observed as well as the potential to assist with changing physical activity behaviour. Knowledge of CHF and physical activity behaviour change are important self-management targets for CHF, and this study provides evidence to direct the further development of a technology to support these targets.

Identification of the Most Suitable Mobile Apps to Support Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet Self-Management: Systematic Search of App Stores and Content Analysis.

Smartphone apps might provide an opportunity to support the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, a healthy diet designed to help lower blood pressure. This study evaluated DASH diet self-management apps based on their quality, likely effectiveness, and data privacy/security to identify the most suitable app(s). A systematic search and content analysis were conducted of all DASH diet apps available in Google Play and the Apple App Store in the UK in November 2022. Apps were included if they provided DASH diet tracking. A previous systematic literature review found some commercial apps not found in the app store search, and these were also included in this review. Three reviewers used the App Quality Evaluation Tool (AQEL) to assess each app's quality across seven domains: knowledge acquisition, skill development, behaviour change, purpose, functionality, and appropriateness for adults with hypertension. Domains with a score of 8 or higher were considered high-quality. Two reviewers assessed the apps' data privacy and security and then coded Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) linked to the Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF) underpinning the likely effectiveness of the apps. Seven DASH diet apps were assessed, showing the limited availability of apps supporting DASH diet self-management. The AQEL assessment showed that three apps scored higher than eight in most of the AQEL domains. Nineteen BCTs were used across the apps, linked to nine TDF action mechanisms that may support DASH diet self-management behaviours. Four apps met standards for privacy and security. All seven apps with self-monitoring functionality had sufficient theoretical basis to demonstrate likely effectiveness. However, most had significant quality and data security shortcomings. Only two apps, NOOM and DASH To TEN, were found to have both adequate quality and security and were thus deemed suitable to support DASH diet self-management.

Emerging technologies and their potential for generating new assistive technologies.

Limited access to assistive technology (AT) is a well-recognized global challenge. Emerging technologies have potential to develop new assistive products and bridge some of the gaps in access to AT. However, limited analyses exist on the potential of these technologies in the AT field. This paper describes a study that aimed to provide an overview of emerging technological developments and their potential for the AT field. It involved conducting a gray literature review and patent analysis to create an overview of the emerging enabling technologies that may foster the development of new AT products and services and identify emerging AT applications. The analysis identified seven enabling technologies that are relevant to the AT field. These are artificial intelligence, emerging human-computer interfaces, sensor technology, robotics, advances in connectivity and computing, additive manufacturing and new materials. Whilst there are over 3.7 million patents related to these enabling technologies, only a fraction of them - 11,000 patents were identified in the analysis specifically related to AT (0.3%). The paper presents some of the promising examples. Overall, the results indicate that there is an enormous potential for new AT solutions that capitalize on emerging technological advances.

The Use of a Smartphone App and an Activity Tracker to Promote Physical Activity in the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent and significantly affects the daily functioning of patients. Self-management strategies, including increasing physical activity, can help people with COPD have better health and a better quality of life. Digital mobile health (mHealth) techniques have the potential to aid the delivery of self-management interventions for COPD. We developed an mHealth intervention (Self-Management supported by Assistive, Rehabilitative, and Telehealth technologies-COPD [SMART-COPD]), delivered via a smartphone app and an activity tracker, to help people with COPD maintain (or increase) physical activity after undertaking pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using the SMART-COPD intervention for the self-management of physical activity and to explore the feasibility of conducting a future randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate its effectiveness. METHODS: We conducted a randomized feasibility study. A total of 30 participants with COPD were randomly allocated to receive the SMART-COPD intervention (n=19) or control (n=11). Participants used SMART-COPD throughout PR and for 8 weeks afterward (ie, maintenance) to set physical activity goals and monitor their progress. Questionnaire-based and physical activity-based outcome measures were taken at baseline, the end of PR, and the end of maintenance. Participants, and health care professionals involved in PR delivery, were interviewed about their experiences with the technology. RESULTS: Overall, 47% (14/30) of participants withdrew from the study. Difficulty in using the technology was a common reason for withdrawal. Participants who completed the study had better baseline health and more prior experience with digital technology, compared with participants who withdrew. Participants who completed the study were generally positive about the technology and found it easy to use. Some participants felt their health had benefitted from using the technology and that it assisted them in achieving physical activity goals. Activity tracking and self-reporting were both found to be problematic as outcome measures of physical activity for this study. There was dissatisfaction among some control group members regarding their allocation. CONCLUSIONS: mHealth shows promise in helping people with COPD self-manage their physical activity levels. mHealth interventions for COPD self-management may be more acceptable to people with prior experience of using digital technology and may be more beneficial if used at an earlier stage of COPD. Simplicity and usability were more important for engagement with the SMART-COPD intervention than personalization; therefore, the intervention should be simplified for future use. Future evaluation will require consideration of individual factors and their effect on mHealth efficacy and use; within-subject comparison of step count values; and an opportunity for control group participants to use the intervention if an RCT were to be carried out. Sample size calculations for a future evaluation would need to consider the high dropout rates.

Smartphone Apps to Support Self-Management of Hypertension: Review and Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a widespread chronic disease, and its effective treatment requires self-management by patients. Health-related apps provide an effective way of supporting hypertension self-management. However, the increasing range and variety of hypertension apps available on the market, owing to the global growth in apps, creates the need for patients and health care professionals to be informed about the effectiveness of these apps and the levels of privacy and security that they provide. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe and assess all available apps supporting hypertension self-management in the most popular app stores and investigate their functionalities. METHODS: In January 2018, the UK Apple and Google Play stores were scanned for all free and paid apps supporting hypertension self-management. Apps were included if they were in English, had functionality supporting hypertension self-management, and targeted adult users with hypertension. The included apps were downloaded and their functionalities were investigated. Behavior change techniques (BCTs) linked with the theoretical domain framework (TDF) underpinning potentially effective apps were independently coded by two reviewers. The data privacy and security of the apps were also independently assessed. RESULTS: A total of 186 hypertension apps that met the inclusion criteria were included in this review. The majority of these apps had only one functionality (n=108), while the remainder offered different combinations of functionalities. A small number of apps had comprehensive functionalities (n=30) that are likely to be more effective in supporting hypertension self-management. Most apps lacked a clear theoretical basis, and 24 BCTs identified in these 30 apps were mapped to 10 TDF mechanisms of actions. On an average, 18.4 BCTs were mapped to 6 TDF mechanisms of actions that may support hypertension self-management behaviors. There was a concerning absence of evidence related to the effectiveness and usability of all 186 apps, and involvement of health care professionals in the app development process was minimal. Most apps did not meet the current standards of data security and privacy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the widespread accessibility and availability of smartphone apps with a range of combinations of functionalities that can support the self-management of hypertension, only a small number of apps are likely to be effective. Many apps lack security measures as well as a clear theoretical basis and do not provide any evidence concerning their effectiveness and usability. This raises a serious issue, as health professionals and those with hypertension have insufficient information to make decisions on which apps are safe and effective.

An evaluation of second and third generation telecare services in older people's housing.

In a controlled study of older people living in sheltered housing (retirement housing), 24 people provided with telecare were compared with a control group of 28 people. The intervention consisted of second generation telecare equipment, such as automatic flood or falls detectors, a third generation lifestyle reassurance system and an Internet café. After a 12-month monitoring period, there was no noticeable change in the fear of falling. There was no significant difference for eight of the nine SF-36 domains. However, the Social Functioning domain showed a significant difference (P = 0.049), with scores 8% higher in the intervention group, suggesting a beneficial effect of telecare. Positive trends were also evident in areas such as an increase in the length of time spent out of the home, improved feelings of safety during the day and night, and a reduction in the fear of crime. The Internet café was used by 25% of people for at least 20 min per week. The results suggest that second generation telecare systems and Internet facilities could be more widely used in service delivery, but that lifestyle reassurance requires further development.

Mobile Apps to Support the Self-Management of Hypertension: Systematic Review of Effectiveness, Usability, and User Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a chronic disease that is considered to be a public health problem and requires efforts by patients to manage themselves. The global growth in the use of mobile phones and tablets has been accompanied by the increased use of health apps. Many of these apps support the self-management of hypertension and, therefore, they have the potential benefits of lowering blood pressure. Despite this, there is currently a lack of evidence for their effectiveness, usability, and patient satisfaction with their use. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review was conducted to assess the effectiveness of apps in lowering blood pressure, as well as their usability and patients' satisfaction with their use. METHODS: We conducted searches in the following databases: MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), PsycINFO (OVID), CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), IEEE Xplore ASSIAN, Google Scholar and the main Arabic databases Al Manhal, AskZad, and Mandumah. We looked for studies that used apps in the self-management of hypertension from 2008-2016. We also checked the reference lists of the review papers and all the primary studies for additional references. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies with a total of 3112 participants were included in the review. Of the 14 studies that assessed the effectiveness of the apps in lowering blood pressure, 10 (71.4%) studies (6 RCTs and 4 nonrandomized studies) reported that using the apps led to significant decreases in blood pressure and seemed to be effective in the self-management of hypertension. Of these 10, only 2 (20%) RCTs and 3 (30%) nonrandomized studies had a low-moderate risk of bias. The results of this review are inconclusive regarding which combinations of functionalities would be most effective in lowering blood pressure because of variation in the studies' quality, but the data suggest that apps incorporating more comprehensive functionalities are likely to be more effective. In all the studies that assessed the usability of the apps and users' acceptance of them, all the apps seemed to be accepted and easy to use. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the studies reported that apps might be effective in lowering blood pressure and are accepted by users. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution, as most of the studies had a high risk of bias. More well-designed, large-scale studies are required to evaluate the real effect of using apps in lowering blood pressure and to identify the most effective functionality combinations for lowering blood pressure.

A speech-controlled environmental control system for people with severe dysarthria.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) can provide a rapid means of controlling electronic assistive technology. Off-the-shelf ASR systems function poorly for users with severe dysarthria because of the increased variability of their articulations. We have developed a limited vocabulary speaker dependent speech recognition application which has greater tolerance to variability of speech, coupled with a computerised training package which assists dysarthric speakers to improve the consistency of their vocalisations and provides more data for recogniser training. These applications, and their implementation as the interface for a speech-controlled environmental control system (ECS), are described. The results of field trials to evaluate the training program and the speech-controlled ECS are presented. The user-training phase increased the recognition rate from 88.5% to 95.4% (p<0.001). Recognition rates were good for people with even the most severe dysarthria in everyday usage in the home (mean word recognition rate 86.9%). Speech-controlled ECS were less accurate (mean task completion accuracy 78.6% versus 94.8%) but were faster to use than switch-scanning systems, even taking into account the need to repeat unsuccessful operations (mean task completion time 7.7s versus 16.9s, p<0.001). It is concluded that a speech-controlled ECS is a viable alternative to switch-scanning systems for some people with severe dysarthria and would lead, in many cases, to more efficient control of the home.