title: Developing a Web-based education and counseling program for heart failure patients.
abstract: This paper describes a 2-phase method utilized to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a Web-based program targeted to the specific learning needs of elderly patients with heart failure. In the first phase, informational resources specific to the needs of elderly patients were identified using aspects of participant-focused research. Data from 69 patients were obtained through a structured interview and later reviewed with health care providers and patient representatives. Items deemed important by the patients and health care providers were incorporated into the Internet-based program that was drafted for the study. The second phase of the process entailed obtaining data to support the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention by providing 12 patient volunteers access to the Internet-based program that was developed. After 2 weeks, the authors contacted the volunteers and asked them about their experiences with accessing and navigating the Web page. The authors found that elderly persons with limited computer skills can and will use Web resources to obtain information when given adequate instructions on how to access the Web pages.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6918, USA. levangel@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Lorraine S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Evangelista
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strömberg
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westlake
authors.forename: Alvina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ter-Galstanyan
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dracup
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003197:Computer Literacy; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires