We explored the concept of "Serious Games," video games designed to promote health-related knowledge, behaviors, and skills beyond entertainment. Our review highlights their application in areas like patient education, behavior change, and medical training. By integrating user-centered design principles with behavioral science, Serious Games represent a promising tool for engaging users and addressing healthcare challenges. (more…)
We explored the design of chatbots for depression screening, leveraging advancements in natural language processing and artificial intelligence. Using a research-through-design approach, we developed a chatbot prototype that integrates the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a validated depression screening tool. Our findings emphasize the importance of ethical considerations, tailored personality design, effective conversational flow, and predictability to ensure safety and user...
We explored the challenges and policy changes affecting abortion access during the COVID-19 pandemic across the European Union and the United Kingdom. While some countries implemented measures to facilitate access, such as telemedicine and extended guidelines for early medical abortion, others restricted services or failed to consider abortion as essential healthcare. These findings underscore disparities in abortion policy and access,...
We conducted a systematic review of mobile applications for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to understand the current landscape of these digital tools. Searching major app stores, we identified 25 relevant apps from over 1,600 initial results. Most apps focused on providing information about MS and its treatments, with limited features supporting disease management or patient support. Our findings highlight...
We analyzed 208 studies to map the field of Connected Health, examining its growth, research types, and focus areas. Our findings reveal rapid expansion since 2013, with emphasis on technology-driven solutions for patient care. While diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases dominate Connected Health research, there is a significant gap in business-oriented studies. Our results provide a foundation for advancing interdisciplinary...
We explored the factors that influence the adoption of smart health technologies by people with dementia and their informal caregivers. Through a scoping review of 109 studies, we identified key barriers and facilitators, ranging from design challenges to ethical concerns. Based on these insights, we proposed the DemDesCon framework, which outlines essential design considerations for creating effective s-Health solutions for...
We assessed how well mobile health apps meet the needs of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). From a systematic review of app stores, we identified 30 apps focused on MS. While many offered patient education and data visualization, critical features like energy management, remote monitoring, and gamification were largely absent. Our findings suggest that current MS mHealth apps fall short...
We developed a Digital Health Design (DHD) framework to address the challenges and opportunities in creating digital health interventions (DHIs). By analyzing semi-structured interviews with 24 design professionals, we identified eight stages grouped into four phases: preparation, problem-thinking, problem-solving, and implementation. Our framework integrates design activities, deliverables, and stakeholder roles while addressing twelve challenges, providing actionable strategies for enhancing patient...
We examined factors influencing patient experiences with digital health interventions (DHIs) and developed a preliminary framework to guide their design. By synthesizing findings from 15 reviews encompassing 543 studies, we identified four key themes: individual context, content, technical issues, and design features. These insights aim to enhance accessibility, usability, and patient-centered care in digital health. (more…)
We systematically reviewed the evaluation of digital patient experiences (digital PEx) in healthcare, focusing on when, what, and how to measure them. Drawing from 45 systematic reviews, we identified key timing considerations, evaluation indicators, and approaches. This study provides a structured guide for researchers, developers, and practitioners to improve digital PEx evaluations, ensuring these tools meet patient needs and healthcare...
