title: Usability testing by older adults of a computer-mediated health communication program.
abstract: Failure to adhere to an antihypertensive regimen and interactions between antihypertensives and other medicines represent serious health threats to older adults. This study tested the usability of a touch-screen-enabled personal education program (PEP). Findings showed that older adults rated the PEP system usability, system usefulness, and system-use satisfaction at a moderately high level for prototype-1 and at an exceptionally high level for prototype-2. A 201.91% reduction in interface errors and a 31.08% decrease in interface time also were found between the two trials. This participatory usability design was highly successful in tailoring its program interface design to accommodate older users to enhance their health communication and technology use efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA. carolyn.lin@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Neafsey
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Strickler
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D018961:Educational Technology; D017144:Focus Groups; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014110:Touch; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents