Acceptance and Potential Impact of the eWALL Platform for Health Monitoring and Promotion in Persons with a Chronic Disease or Age-Related Impairment

Francesco Infarinato, Stephanie Jansen-Kosterink, Paola Romano, Lex van Velsen, Harm op den Akker, Federica Rizza, Marco Ottaviani, Sofoklis Kyriazakos, Beatrix Wais-Zechmann, Markus Garschall, Stefano Bonassi and Hermie J. Hermens
Additional contact information
Francesco Infarinato: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy
Stephanie Jansen-Kosterink: Roessingh Research and Development, 7522 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
Paola Romano: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy
Lex van Velsen: Roessingh Research and Development, 7522 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
Harm op den Akker: Roessingh Research and Development, 7522 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
Federica Rizza: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy
Marco Ottaviani: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy
Sofoklis Kyriazakos: Department of Business Development and Technology, BTECH, Aarhus University, 7400 Herning, Denmark
Beatrix Wais-Zechmann: AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 1210 Wien, Austria
Markus Garschall: AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 1210 Wien, Austria
Stefano Bonassi: IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00166 Rome, Italy
Hermie J. Hermens: Roessingh Research and Development, 7522 AH Enschede, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Pervasive health technologies can increase the effectiveness of personal health monitoring and training, but more user studies are necessary to understand the interest for these technologies, and how they should be designed and implemented. In the present study, we evaluated eWALL, a user-centered pervasive health technology consisting of a platform that monitors users’ physical and cognitive behavior, providing feedback and motivation via an easy-to-use, touch-based user interface. The eWALL was placed for one month in the home of 48 subjects with a chronic condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—COPD or mild cognitive impairment—MCI) or with an age-related impairment. User acceptance, platform use, and potential clinical effects were evaluated using surveys, data logs, and clinical scales. Although some features of the platform need to be improved before reaching technical maturity and making a difference in patients’ lives, the real-life evaluation of eWALL has shown how some features may influence patients’ intention to use this promising technology. Furthermore, this study made it clear how the free use of different health apps is modulated by the real needs of the patient and by their usefulness in the context of the patient’s clinical status.

Keywords: eHealth; telemonitoring; telerehabilitation; ICT platform; acceptance of technology; user experience; MCI; COPD; chronicity; frailty; patient empowerment; pervasive healthcare; health apps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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