title: Technology in the lives of women who live with memory impairment as a result of a traumatic brain injury.
abstract: A large number of individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain injury are women; unfortunately, there is a lack of literature focusing on their treatment preferences. Electronic memory aids have the potential to offer tremendous assistance to increase the independence of individuals with memory impairment; however, the use of electronic memory aids with this female population has not been explored. The objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions and use of electronic memory aids in women with memory impairment as a result of a traumatic brain injury to further their use of this technology to enable their independence. Two focus groups were conducted, each with five women who self-reported a moderate to severe head injury. The primary theme that emerged was the willingness and interest of this sample to use this technology when provided with an appropriate introduction and learning environment. The results reaffirm current literature supporting the use of electronic memory aids with a population with a head injury. Individuals not currently using this technology were motivated to employ electronic memory aids in their daily lives. Further research must be conducted to develop strategies to enable this population's use of electronic memory aids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dry
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colantonio
authors.forename: Jill I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mihailidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D020208:Brain Injury, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D012656:Self-Help Devices