Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung KY(1) , Hui KY(1) , Ma HY(1) , Leung WT(1) , Lui NF(1) , Choi CM(2), Li YC(2)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Occupational Therapy, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (2) Department of Family Medicine and General Outpatient Clinic, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
Smartphone usage has become an integral part of daily life, facilitating social connections, transportation, and access to medical services through HAGO. However, the adoption of smartphone applications among the elderly in Hong Kong remains low, primarily due to cognitive and physical impairments associated with aging.
Objectives :
This study aims to identify barriers to smartphone usage among the elderly, provide guidance for developing a customized cognitive program that encourages smartphone adoption and improves the overall quality of life for community-dwelling elderly in Hong Kong.
Methodology :
The study was conducted at the Occupational Therapy Unit of the Enhancement of Public Primary Care Services at Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Clinic for patients who were referred for cognitive assessment and training from November 2022 to March 2023. Inclusion criteria were age 65 or above, scoring 6 or above in Abbreviated Mental Test, and with access to smartphones. Self-reported questionnaires were designed and used to gather information on participants' experiences and perceived barriers to smartphone usage. Additionally, Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA) was conducted to assess their cognitive performance and identify any cognitive limitations that might hinder smartphone usage.
Result & Outcome :
Results: Thirty participants, aged 68-89, were recruited, with a majority having primary or secondary education (83%). Self-reported questionnaires indicated the most encountered barriers were lack of knowledge (66.7%), diminished executive function (66.7%), memory impairments (60%) and difficulties with visuospatial functioning (50%). Other barriers included no necessity to use (40%) and visual impairment(10%). HK-MoCA revealed poor delayed recall performance (90% scored ≤2 out of 5) and fair visuospatial and executive function performance (66.7% scored ≤2 out of 5) among the subjects. Satisfactory language and attention performance was observed (86.7% scored ≥4 out of 6 in attention, 100% scored ≥2 out of 3 in language). Conclusion: The study highlights the barriers faced by elderly individuals in adopting smartphones. Apart from physical limitations, cognitive impairments contribute to a lack of knowledge in utilizing smartphones and their advanced functionalities. Distinct technological tasks necessitate the utilization of different cognitive domains. Tailored cognitive interventions are therefore essential to address these barriers and promote smartphones adoption, ultimately enhancing the community living skills and quality of life for community-dwelling elderly. A smartphone cognitive program designed for early dementia and mild cognitive impairment patients has been developed and implemented in the clinic, showing positive results that warrant further investigation.
