Purpose: Although extensive research has been carried out on the determinants of mobile or wearable health care technology (mHealth), as well as on its acceptance by patients and other health care providers, very little research has been done on physiotherapists' perspectives on the use of mHealth in their current or future practice. The aims of this study were to (1) explore the attitudes of physiotherapists toward mHealth using a modified technology acceptance model questionnaire, (2) understand the applications and delivery paradigms that are most desirable, and (3) assess the content validity of the questionnaire. Method: The questionnaire was administered online. Participants (n=76) were recruited using snowball and convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using factor analysis and partial least-squares path modelling. Results: Results indicate that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were related to early adoptive behaviour among participants. We found no evidence that age, gender, experience, or practice setting influenced early adoptive behaviour. Participants demonstrated favourable attitudes toward mHealth tools in clinical practice. Conclusions: This article provides initial insights into factors that are likely to be significant determinants of adoption of mHealth among physiotherapists. Further work, including qualitative research, will help to identify personal and institutional factors that will improve the acceptance of mHealth.
Mobile computing provides new ways to interact with technology; applications such as navigation, social facilitation, and augmented reality are used while walking. We introduce Gait-Guided Adaptive Interfaces (GGAIs) as a way to manage cognitive load in dual-task conditions (walking while using a device). Gait markers that can be suitably assessed using smartphone sensors (decreased gait speed, increased variability) have been shown to be indicative of cognitive load in older adults. Motor-cognitive interference is a more significant issue as we age, gait becomes less automatic, and the risk of falls under distraction increases. Apps with GGAIs measure changes in gait to infer load and then adapt the way that the App interacts with the user accordingly. We validate this approach using a simple Go/No-Go task, and then show how gait responds to changes in task complexity. We conclude with a discussion of how GGAIs may be used by developers to improve the usability of apps for older users.
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