Experimenting with Case-Based Reasoning to Present Educative Health Information on the Internet: The Example of SeniorGezond.
BACKGROUND
Information about health prevention can contribute to the awareness and the knowledge of consumers and patients about their own health. Messages originating from other users (cases) can be perceived as more credible and hence more persuasive. With this in mind, we have developed an informative website called SeniorGezond, which includes a case-based tailoring component, in the domain area of fall incidences.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the use of cases is suitable for presenting and tailoring educative health information; and to gain insights in the user's opinion about the use of cases to provide tailored preventive information.


METHODS
We conducted a qualitative study using questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews, and observations. Participants were elderly, family caregivers and healthcare professionals.


RESULTS
Users were able to find relevant cases for their problems, but had a mixed reaction on the usefulness and appreciation of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need for a delicate balance between a recognizable story with all the important health information and good readable and concise information. A good text structure is required to support this. While cases do have potential in health education, further research is needed in order to identify the necessary requirements which will make the cases successful.
Ezendam
Nicole P M
NP
Clinical Informatics, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
Alpay
Laurence L
LL
Rövekamp
Ton A J M
TA
Toussaint
Pieter J
PJ
D017028:Caregivers; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires