Assistive Technologies (AT) are an application area where several Artificial Intelligence techniques and tools have been successfully applied to support elderly or impeded people on their daily activities. However, approaches to AT tend to center in the user-tool interaction, neglecting the user's connection with its social environment (such as caretakers, relatives and health professionals) and the possibility to monitor undesired behaviour providing both adaptation to a dynamic environment and early response to potentially dangerous situations. In previous work we have presented COAALAS, an intelligent social and norm-aware device for elderly people that is able to autonomously organize, reorganize and interact with the different actors involved in elderly-care, either human actors or other devices. In this paper we put our work into context, by first examining what are the desirable properties of such a system, analysing the state-of-the-art on the relevant topics, and verifying the validity of our proposal in a larger context that we call AVICENA. AVICENA's aim is develop a semi-autonomous (collaborative) tool to promote monitored, intensive, extended and personalized therapeutic regime adherence at home based on adaptation techniques.
Background: Patients with severe knee osteoarthritis are evaluated for total knee replacement (TKR), whose main indications are persistent pain and severe functional limitations substantially affecting mobility. However, evaluation of pain intensity and functional disability is difficult to standardize. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between quadriceps muscle thickness (QMT) and quality; the QMT and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) and QMT and function in patients with knee OA on a waiting list for TKR. Methods: Cross-sectional study in consecutively-enrolled patients. Variables: SFT, QMT and rectus femoris muscle quality, assessed by echointensity (EI). Function by the Timed Up & Go Test (TUG); sociodemographic and clinical variables and physical activity were determined. Karl Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression were used. Results: 61 patients (45 female, mean age 69.7 years [SD 7.2], mean BMI 33.0 [SD 5.7], mean comorbidities 3.3 [SD 2.0], 52.5% regular physical activity) were studied. Mean TUG was 15.1 (SD 6.1). Variables retained in the regression model explained 36% of variability in the TUG. Greater muscle content (percentage) (r = À0,291) was associated with better TUG scores (p = 0.001). Greater muscle EI was negatively (r = À0,364) associated with function (p = 0.006). Older age was associated with worse TUG scores while regular physical activity was associated with better TUG scores (p = 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: A higher percentage of quadriceps muscle and better muscle quality (lower EI) was associated with better function. Age and exercise levels influenced function. Ultrasound may provide © 2017
BackgroundFalls are an increasing health problem and are more frequent in females. Beliefs and behaviour are known to influence the health status.ObjectivesTo evaluate the influence of beliefs on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in women aged ≥65 years who had suffered falls in the previous 6 months.MethodsObservational study. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected. Beliefs were determined using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), which evaluates the fear of falling, and a question on self-efficacy with respect to health: “Do you believe that your behaviour can influence your health status?” This was measured on a 5-point Likert scale: 1) Totally agree: 2) Quite agree; 3) Don't know; 4) Quite disagree; 5) Totally disagree. HRQL was measured using the SF-36 and WOMAC questionnaires. Gait and balance was evaluated using the Tinetti test. Statistical analysis: Correlations between HRQL and beliefs were calculated. Linear multiple regression was used to evaluate the association between significant independent variables and the physical component of the SF-36 (PC) and the total WOMAC score (TW).Results46 women (mean age 75.4 years (SD 6.8), BMI 30.3 (5.7), number of comorbidities 6.1 (SD 2.4), of which 75% were taking ≥4 medications (mean 6.1 [SD 2.4]) were included. Mean Tinetti score was 23.1 points (SD14.6), mean FES-I was 29.9 points (SD 20.6): 69.6% of patients believed their behaviour influenced their health, PC 34.2 points (SD 8.1) and TW 45.3 points (SD 24.7).Significant correlations were found between the fear of falling (FES-I) and HRQL. Correlations were 61% (p<0.001) with the PC, 58% (p<0.001) with the TW, and 45% (p=0.006) with the Tinetti test. Patients who agreed their behaviour could influence their health had significantly better HRQL (TW score [40.4 vs 56.5 p=0.029] and the Tinetti score [23.39 vs 11.36 p=0.002]). Regression analysis showed that 36% of the variability in the PC was explained by the fear of falling. The variability in the TW was explained by the fear of falling (35%) and the BMI (11%). Age, number of comorbidities and number of medications had no influence on the two models.ConclusionsPatients who believed their behaviour influenced their health had a better HRQL and a lower risk of suffering falls than those who did not. Health professionals should take patients' beliefs into account when planning and introducing interventions to prevent falls and improve HRQL.ReferencesWorld Health Organization. Falls 2012. Informe de salud 2013. Generalitat de Catalunya. 2014.Bandura A. Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Rev 1977;84(2):191-215.AcknowledgementsThe FATE project has been funded by CIPICT-PSP-2011-5 297178Disclosure of InterestNone declared
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