Barriers to the Use of Mobile Applications in Older Adults and Solutions

Abstract

People have developed many different ways to maintain and access health information due to advances in communication and information technology. One of the most up-to-date ways of protecting and improving the health of individuals is the use of technological devices and mobile applications. Older adults emerge as a group that has difficulty adapting to this new way of accessing health information. Health information technologies, which have many advantages for sick and healthy individuals, should also be usable by older adults. These technological applications will be useful when designed to take into account the possible changes in health status of older adults with a disability, a chronic illness, or aging. In order to evaluate technology use by older adults, it is important to understand their technology acceptance and the barriers that affect their adoption. Older adults face various physical-cognitive, social-psychological and technological design barriers to the use of technological devices and mobile applications. In order to eliminate or reduce these barriers, technological devices and mobile applications should have easy access, maximum transparency and minimum uncertainty. Because older adults' access to and use of health-related mobile applications will strengthen their autonomy and increase their quality of life. However, in order to adapt to the ever-accelerating technology, it is necessary to focus on the design of technological products specific to the elderly and to encourage the elderly to use these tools.

Keywords

• older adults
• mobile application
• barrier
• solution

Project Number

yok

Yaşlı Yetişkinlerde Mobil Uygulamaların Kullanımındaki Engeller ve Çözüm Önerileri

Abstract

İnsanlar, sağlık bilgisini sürdürmek ve bunlara erişmek için, iletişim ve bilgi teknolojisindeki ilerlemelerden dolayı birçok farklı yol geliştirmiştir. Bireylerin sağlığını koruma ve geliştirmenin en güncel yollarından biri de teknolojik cihaz ve mobil uygulamaların kullanımıdır. Sağlık bilgisine erişmenin bu yeni yoluna adapte olmakta zorluk çeken bir grup olarak yaşlı yetişkinler karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Hasta ve sağlıklı bireyler için pek çok avantajı bulunan sağlık bilgi teknolojilerinin, yaşlı yetişkinler tarafından da kullanılabilir olması gerekir. Bu teknolojik uygulamalar yaşlı yetişkinlerin engelli olma, kronik bir hastalığa sahip olma veya yaşlanma ile birlikte sağlık durumundaki olası değişiklikleri dikkate alınarak tasarlandığında faydalı olacaktır. Yaşlı yetişkinlerin teknoloji kullanımını değerlendirebilmek için teknolojiyi kabul durumları ile benimsemelerini etkileyen engelleri anlamak önemlidir. Yaşlı yetişkinler, teknolojik cihazların ve mobil uygulamaların kullanımına ilişkin fiziksel-bilişsel, sosyal-psikolojik ve teknolojik tasarıma ilişkin çeşitli engellerle karşılaşmaktadır. Bu engellerin ortadan kaldırılması ya da azaltılması için teknolojik cihazların ve mobil uygulamaların kolay erişim, maksimum şeffaflık ve minimum belirsizliğe sahip olmaları gerekmektedir. Çünkü yaşlı yetişkinin sağlığa ilişkin mobil uygulamalara erişimi ve kullanımı otonomilerini güçlendirerek, yaşam kalitelerinin artmasını sağlayacaktır. Bununla birlikte giderek hızlanan teknolojiye adapte olmaları için yaşlılara özgü teknolojik ürünlerin tasarımına ağırlık verilmesi ve yaşlıların bu araçları kullanmaya özendirilmeleri gerekmektedir.

Keywords

• mobil uygulama
• yaşlı yetişkin
• engel
• çözüm

Supporting Institution

yok

Project Number

yok

References

1. Abbey, R., & Hydde, S. (2009). No country for older people? Age and the digital divide. Journal of Information, Communication & Ethics in Society, 7(4),225-242.
2. Alvseike, H., & Brønnick, K.(2012). Feasibility of the iPad as a hub for smart house technology in the elderly; Effects of cognition, selfefficacy, and technology experience. J. Multidiscip. Healthc, 5, 299–306.
3. Barnard, Y., Bradley, M., Hodgson, F., & Lloyd, A. (2013). Learning to use new technologies by older adults: Perceived difficulties, experimentation behavior and usability. Computers in Human Behavior, 29,1715-1724.
4. Becerikli, S. (2013). Kuşaklararası İletişim Açısından Yeni İletişim Teknolojilerinin Kullanımı: İleri Yaş Grubu Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme. İstanbul Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi,1(44),19-31.
5. Bilir, N., & Paksoy Erbaydar, N. (2015). Halk Sağlığı temel bilgiler Ankara: Hacettepe Üniversitesi Yayınları, 3, 1528.
6. Bujnowska-Fedak, M. (2014). Support for e-health services among elderly primary care patients. Telemedicine and e-Health, 20(8): 696-704.
7. Charness, N., & Boot, W. (2009). Aging and information technology use potential and barriers. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18 (5),253-258.
8. Darroch, I., Goodman, J., Brewster, S., & Gray, P.(2005). The Effect of Age and Font Size on Reading Text on Handheld Computers. In: Costabile M.F., Paternò F. (eds) Human-Computer Interaction- INTERACT 2005. INTERACT 2005. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3585. Springer, Berlin, 253-266.

9. Fletcher, J., & Jensen, R. (2015). Mobile health: Barriers to mobile phone use in the aging population. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 19 (3). Available from: http://www.himss.org/ojni
10. García-Peñalvo, F.J., Conde-González, M., & Matellán-Olivera, V. (2014). Mobile Apps for Older Users–The Development of a Mobile Apps Repository for Older People. In P. Zaphiris & A. Ioannou (Eds.), Learning and Collaboration Technologies Technology-Rich Environments for Learning and Collaboration. First International Conference, LCT 2014 Held as Part of HCI International 2014 Heraklion, Crete, Greece Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 117-126.
11. Geraedts, H., Zijlstra, A., Bulstra, S.K., Stevens, M., & Zijlstra W. (2013). Effects of remote feedback in home-based physical activity interventions for older adults: a systematic review. Patient education and counseling, 91(1), 14-24.
12. Gitlow, L. (2014). Technology use by older adults and barriers to using technology. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics,32(3),271-280.
13. Hargittai, E. (2002). Second-Level DigitalDivide: Differences in People’s Online Skills, First Monday, 7(4). Available from: http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_4/hargittai/index.html
14. Heinz, M., Martin, P., Margrett, J.A., Yearns, M., Franke, W., Yang, H.I., Wong, J., & Chang, C.K. (2013). Perceptions of technology among older adults. J Gerontol Nurs, 39, 42–51.
15. Hourcade, J.P., & Berkel, T.R. (2006). Tap or touch? Pen-based selection accuracy for the young and old. Paper presented at the CHI’ 06 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Montreal, Canada.
16. Hourcade, J.P., & Berkel, T.R. (2008). Simple pen interaction performance of young and older adults using handheld computers. Interacting with Computers, 20(1),166–183.
17. Joe, J., & Demiris, G. (2013). Older adults and mobile phones for health: A review. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 46, 947-954. Kang, N.E., & Yoon, W.C (2008).. Age- and experience-related user behavior differences in the use of complicated electronic devices. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 66(6), 425–437
18. Kalender, N., & Özdemir, L.(2014). Yaşlılara Sağlık Hizmetlerinin Sunumunda Tele-Tıp Kullanımı. Anadolu Hemşirelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(1),1-9.
19. Mitzner, T.L., Boron, J.B., Fausset, C.B., Adams, A.E., Charness, N., & Czaja, S.J. (2020). Older adults talk technology: Technology usage and attitudes. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 1710–1721.
20. Omori, M., Watanabe, T., Takai, J., Takada, H., & Miyao, M. (2002). Visibility and characteristics of the mobile phones for elderly people. Behaviour & Information Technology, 21(5),313-316.
21. Orpwood, R., Chadd, J., Howcroft, D., Sixsmith, A., Torrington, J., Gibson, G., & Chalfont, G. (2010). Designing technology to improve quality of life for people with dementia: user-led approaches. Univ. Access Inf. Soc, 9,249–259.
22. Paul, G., & Stegbauer, C. (2005). Is the digital divide between young and elderly people increasing?. First Monday, 10(10), Available from: http://firstmonday.org/article/view/1286
23. Rodeschini, G. (2011). Gerotechnology: A new kind of care for aging? An analysis of the relationship between older people and technology. Nursing and Health Sciences,13, 521-528.
24. Santa-Rosa, J., & Fernandes, H. (2012). Application and analysis of the affinities diagram on the examination of usability problems among older adults. Work 2012; 41(1), 328-332.
25. Wallace, S., Graham, C., & Saraceno, A. (2013). Older adults’ use of technology. Perspectives on Gerontology, 18(2),50-59.
26. Vaportzis, E., Clausen, M.G., & Gow, A.J. (2017). Older Adults Perceptions of Technology and Barriers to Interacting with Tablet Computers: A Focus Group Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 8,1-11.
27. Zhou, J., Rau, P., & Salvendy, G. (2014). Older adults’ use of smart phones: An investigation of the factors influencing the acceptance of new functions. Behavior & Information Technology, 33(6), 552-560.