Search results

Ambient-assisted living (AAL) is one solution to the challenges of healthcare systems in an aging population. Using the “ecosystem adoption of practices over time” (EAPT) as a theoretical lens, this study explores and describes three elements of AAL adoption: (1) the AAL practices in which the technology is embedded (i.e. object of adoption), (2) the older adult's adoption ecosystem (i.e. subject of adoption) and (3) the change of adoption practices over time (i.e. temporality of adoption).

Qualitative interviews with three actor groups in the ecosystem: clients, relatives and home nurses.

The study identifies six categories of AAL practices. Clients, relatives and nurses interact and integrate their resources in carrying out these practices. Some of the practices have developed, or are expected to develop, over time.

The study applies a novel theoretical perspective on how AAL technology is embedded in practices performed by different actors in the adoption ecosystem. This broadens the conceptualization of what is being adopted compared to traditional adoption research.

A wide gap exists between the innovation and development of self-monitoring, analysis and reporting technology (SMART) technologies and the actual adoption by older adults or those caring for them. This paper aims to increase awareness of available technologies and describes their suitability for older adults with different needs. SMART technologies are intelligent devices and systems that enable autonomous monitoring of their status, data analysis or direct feedback provision.

This is a scoping review of SMART technologies used and marketed to older adults or for providing care.

Five categories of SMART technologies were identified: (1) wearable technologies and smart tools of daily living; (2) noninvasive/unobtrusive technology (i.e. passive technologies monitoring the environment, health and behavior); (3) complex SMART systems; (4) interactive technologies; (5) assistive and rehabilitation devices. Technologies were then linked with needs related to everyday practical tasks (mainly applications supporting autonomous, independent living), social and emotional support, health monitoring/managing and compensatory assistance rehabilitation.

When developing, testing or implementing technologies for older adults, researchers should clearly identify concrete needs these technologies help meet to underscore their usefulness.

Older adults and caregivers should weigh the pros and cons of different technologies and consider the key needs of older adults before investing in any tech solution.

SMART technologies meeting older adult needs help support both independent, autonomous life for as long as possible as well as aiding in the transition to assisted or institutionalized care.

This is the first review to explicitly link existing SMART technologies with the concrete needs of older adults, serving as a useful guide for both older adults and caregivers in terms of available technology solutions.

This study aims to understand how midwifery students view ethical rights concerning the usage of reproductive technologies.

A series of focus groups were conducted with midwifery students who were asked to discuss four novel scenarios highlighting some of the most controversial issues on the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies. The sample consisted of third-year students studying at the Department of Midwifery of a university in the fall semester of the 2020–2021 academic year. In total, 60 students aged between 20 and 23 participated in the study (mean age 21.5 years).

Four scenarios that may be encountered in the use of assisted reproductive techniques were presented to the students. These scenarios were about IVF treatment, using the preimplantation gender identification technique, surrogate mother and using frozen zygotes. Four themes were identified from the analysis of the focus group data related to all four scenarios. These themes were: female reproduction, sex selection, surrogacy and reproductive cloning.

This study reveals what midwifery students consider essential components of assisted reproduction techniques, focusing on the professional attributes of shared decision-making. The results suggest that student midwives are sensitive to the range of ethical dilemmas associated with the increased use of technology in human reproduction, and construct distinct bound arise in relation to what is considered of benefit or good to the mother, parents, the child and to society. They also expressed their opposition to the excessive use of technological intervention, preferring instead to maintain a more naturalistic approach to reproduction.

The study aims to explore how including biophilic elements in the architectural and interior design of assisted living facilities can improve the well-being and quality of life of older people. This research paper explores the concept of biophilic design and its potential benefits for assisted living facilities.

A total of 39 peer-reviewed articles were reviewed. The research involved a comprehensive review of databases such as Scopus, EBSCO, Elsevier, JSTOR and Google Scholar using keywords and Boolean operators with reference to the study. The study’s inclusion criteria for articles were restricted to academic articles published between 2013 and 2022. The analysis of the current research will offer insights into the concept of biophilic design research and its impact on the well-being and quality of life of baby boomers in assisted living facilities.

The research advocates the benefits of biophilic design to enhance the psychological well-being and quality of life of baby boomers dwelling in assisted living facilities. Biophilic design is a strategy that blends natural elements into built environments to improve our connection with nature to enhance the physical and psychological health of older people. In the context of assisted living facilities, where residents commonly experience a variety of physical and psychological health concerns, adopting biophilic design in architecture holds enormous promise.

The research focuses on applying biophilic design in assisted living facilities and its holistic approach to the overall well-being of older people. The conceptual model proposed in the study has defined the positive aspects of the biophilic design on the psychological and physiological health of older people. Few studies have been done on the impact of biophilic design, specifically on baby boomers.

Auditory hallucinations (“hearing voices”) are a relatively common experience, which is often highly distressing and debilitating. As mental health services are under increasing pressures, services have witnessed a transformative shift with the integration of technology into psychological care. This study aims to narratively synthesise evidence of technology-enhanced psychological assessment and treatment of distressing voices (PROSPERO 393831).

This review was carried out according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched until 30th May 2023. The Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool assessed methodological quality of studies.

Searching identified 9,254 titles. Fourteen studies (two assessment studies, twelve treatment studies, published 2010–2022, n = 1,578) were included in the review. Most studies were conducted in the UK, the USA or Canada. Technologies included avatar therapy, mobile apps, virtual reality, a computerised Web-based programme and a mobile-assisted treatment. Overall, technology-enhanced psychological assessments and treatments appear feasible, acceptable and effective, with avatar therapy the most used intervention. EPHPP ratings were “strong” (n = 8), “moderate” (n = 5) and “weak” (n = 1).

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review to investigate these technologies, specifically for distressing voices. Despite the relatively small number of studies, findings offer promising evidence for the clinical benefits of these technologies for enhancing mental health care for individuals with distressing voices. More high-quality research on a wider range of technologies is warranted.

The purpose of this research study is to empirically investigate the Figma prototyping technology adoption factors among entrepreneurship and innovation libraries for providing support to startups by developing and evolving the prototype solutions in collaboration with health libraries.

This study uses the technology adoption model (TAM) as a framework and the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method of structural equation modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS 3.2.9 software version to investigate the prototyping adoption factors among entrepreneurship and innovation libraries for rural health innovations. A total of 40 libraries, spread over 16 entrepreneurship and innovation libraries, participated in this survey, including participants from Europe (35%), Asia (15%) and USA (50%).

The findings show that previous experience, social impact, brand image and system quality have a significant positive impact on entrepreneurship and innovation libraries' perceived usefulness (PU) of prototyping technology. Perceived ease of use of prototype technology is positively influenced by usability, training materials and documentation, experience and self-efficacy. Together, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a significant influence on behavioural intention. Behavioural intention is positively impacted by minimal investment and shallow learning curve. Technology adoption is furthered by behavioural intention. The control variables, for instance location, gender and work experience (as librarian), were found not having any impact on Figma technology adoption.

Through strategic partnerships with other libraries (including health libraries), policymakers, and technology providers, the adoption of prototype technology can be further accelerated. The important ramifications for policymakers, technology providers, public and entrepreneurship and innovation libraries to create a self-reliant innovation ecosystem to foster rural health innovation based on entrepreneurship are also listed in the article.

This research is distinctive since it integrates several areas of study, including entre, advances in rural healthcare and libraries. A novel idea that hasn't been thoroughly investigated is the collaboration between entrepreneurship and innovation libraries and health libraries for supporting businesses. This study offers insights into the factors that drive technology adoption and offers practical advice for policymakers and technology providers. It also advances understanding of the adoption of Figma prototyping technology among libraries for rural health innovation. Overall, this study provides a novel viewpoint on the nexus between different disciplines, showing the opportunity for cooperation and innovation in favour of rural health.

This study investigates the differences in digitalization tendency levels among young adults (18–30) regarding their living environment, gender, and education.

Digital transformation (DT) refers to digital technologies becoming more prevalent in society. This process transforms lifestyles and business models using information and communication technologies. While digital transformation is on everyone’s agenda worldwide, it is still in its infancy. The data collected from 1,067 young adults show that all three control variables, living environment (CV1), gender (CV2), and education level (CV3), have a significant impact on digitalization tendency. Samples are selected using stratified sampling. Frequency distributions of quantitative data, descriptive statistics, ANOVA analysis, independent sample t-tests, reliability and validity analysis are interpreted in SPSS.

It is concluded from the study that the young adults living in Istanbul are more inclined to use digital technologies and to see the process from the standpoint of its positive results. It is observed that women have a higher digitalization tendency than men. Finally, the tendency to use digital technologies increases with education level, as does the likelihood of perceiving the outputs of these technologies as positive.

The study limited the sample to young adults aged 18–30.

Digitalization tendencies are positively influenced by factors such as living in Istanbul, being a woman, and having a high education level.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-01-2023-0020.

There are several studies showing that end-users' participation in the architectural design process of houses is critical to their satisfaction (e.g. Önder et al., 2010; Ammar et al., 2013). Housing that is not adjusted to inhabitants' needs leads to modification works (Davidson et al., 2007) that could be avoided if their design was defined from the beginning with their participation. Digital technologies, such as 3D interactive visualization, benefit co-design processes by helping non-specialists better understand space and design possibilities (Salter et al., 2009; Schroth et al., 2006). However, the available literature shows that existing co-design digital tools were not developed based on potential users’ requirements. This paper aims to define the user requirements of a co-design tool for housing customization.

Interviews were conducted to gather information on how participatory processes occur in housing cooperatives and identify how potential users can collaborate in the design definition of their houses using a digital tool.

The interviews were analyzed, and requirements were defined.

This work contributes to the advancement of knowledge since the tool is defined based on requirements collected from potential end-users. By using a user-centered approach, the tool can contribute to more effective and informed collaboration.

This study explores how predictor variables (value congruence and customer–AI-assisted exchanges) lead tourism businesses to meet customer needs through contactless technology and enhance their willingness to pay more.

The research model was designed from the perspective of consumer-brand relationships and acceptance of AI device use. This study collected and analyzed 647 valid questionnaires using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

The findings indicate that value congruence and customer-AI-assisted exchanges (CAIX) affect intimacy. Intimacy affects satisfaction and the willingness to pay more for contactless technological services. Moreover, brand trust and sensory brand experience play a role in moderating contactless technological services.

Effective interactions between customers and AI-assisted services significantly contribute to overall satisfaction. When AI systems can understand and respond appropriately to customer queries, needs, and preferences, they enhance customer experience and satisfaction levels, increasing overall customer satisfaction with AI services.

This collaborative paper presents three case studies on four scholars' experiences with remote data collection. The authors highlight the challenges and strengths of online qualitative research across three disparate projects: an interdisciplinary exploration of matrilineal heritage, an examination of Irish women's sexual identity and an investigation of dress practices among Tz'utujil-Maya.

Qualitative researchers traditionally go into the field to explore and understand social phenomena. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, while people faced the daily realities of a worldwide crisis from within their homes, remote data collection became a necessary strategy to pursue knowledge. As a result, researchers adapted to unknowns regarding recruiting, scheduling, technology, interviewing and analysis.

Participant and researcher experiences during the adaptation to remote interviewing yielded important lessons on research strategies.

Outcomes from these studies highlight the potential value of online data collection alongside the necessity for flexibility in designing and conducting qualitative research.