“Mum Helps Me When the Internet Messes Up…” : Accessibility of eHealth Services for People with Intellectual Disability
(2024) 18th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, UAHCI 2024, Held as Part of the 26th HCI International Conference, HCII 2024 In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) 14697 LNCS. p.213-230- Abstract
Many services have become digitized in society, including health services. Although there are many advantages to eHealth services, some segments of the population cannot reap those benefits. Objectives: This study aimed to: 1- describe how people with intellectual disability use the internet in Sweden; and 2- understand the nature of the contextual and personal barriers these users face when trying to access eHealth services in particular. Methods: Data from the nationwide survey “Swedes with Impairment and the Internet 2021” (SMFOI-21) were extracted for a subsample of 154 people with self-declared intellectual disability. Results: Findings reveal that people with intellectual disability used the internet predominantly for... (More)
Many services have become digitized in society, including health services. Although there are many advantages to eHealth services, some segments of the population cannot reap those benefits. Objectives: This study aimed to: 1- describe how people with intellectual disability use the internet in Sweden; and 2- understand the nature of the contextual and personal barriers these users face when trying to access eHealth services in particular. Methods: Data from the nationwide survey “Swedes with Impairment and the Internet 2021” (SMFOI-21) were extracted for a subsample of 154 people with self-declared intellectual disability. Results: Findings reveal that people with intellectual disability used the internet predominantly for entertainment purposes. Challenges arose in more complex online activities, like internet searches, logging into eHealth services, booking medical appointments, and financial transactions. Participants relied on support from family, guardians or staff to read, write, create and memorise passwords, understand content, or solve technical problems encountered. They expressed a desire to engage more independently in the digital society but faced barriers due to the cognitive requirements of using apps and the internet as designed by computer scientists, difficulties in navigating complex online processes, such as eHealth services, and a lack of accessible infrastructure. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of improved accessibility, simplified interfaces, clearer instructions, and a supportive ecosystem to enhance their digital inclusion. It is a matter of people with intellectual disability being afforded equal rights to access health services.
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- author
- Normand, Claude L. ; Gustavsson, Catharina ; Alfredsson Ågren, Kristin ; Heitplatz, Vanessa N. ; Chadwick, Darren D. and Johansson, Stefan LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Digital Inclusion, eHealth, Health Literacy, Impairments, Intellectual Disabilities
- host publication
- Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction - 18th International Conference, UAHCI 2024, Held as Part of the 26th HCI International Conference, HCII 2024, Proceedings
- series title
- Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
- editor
- Antona, Margherita and Stephanidis, Constantine
- volume
- 14697 LNCS
- pages
- 18 pages
- publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media B.V.
- conference name
- 18th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, UAHCI 2024, Held as Part of the 26th HCI International Conference, HCII 2024
- conference location
- Washington, United States
- conference dates
- 2024-06-29 - 2024-07-04
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85196113889
- ISSN
- 1611-3349
- 0302-9743
- ISBN
- 9783031608803
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-031-60881-0_14
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- ac01977a-7e87-4efa-a82c-4cf944fd98c8
- date added to LUP
- 2024-09-11 16:03:03
- date last changed
- 2024-09-11 16:04:22
@inproceedings{ac01977a-7e87-4efa-a82c-4cf944fd98c8, abstract = {{<p>Many services have become digitized in society, including health services. Although there are many advantages to eHealth services, some segments of the population cannot reap those benefits. Objectives: This study aimed to: 1- describe how people with intellectual disability use the internet in Sweden; and 2- understand the nature of the contextual and personal barriers these users face when trying to access eHealth services in particular. Methods: Data from the nationwide survey “Swedes with Impairment and the Internet 2021” (SMFOI-21) were extracted for a subsample of 154 people with self-declared intellectual disability. Results: Findings reveal that people with intellectual disability used the internet predominantly for entertainment purposes. Challenges arose in more complex online activities, like internet searches, logging into eHealth services, booking medical appointments, and financial transactions. Participants relied on support from family, guardians or staff to read, write, create and memorise passwords, understand content, or solve technical problems encountered. They expressed a desire to engage more independently in the digital society but faced barriers due to the cognitive requirements of using apps and the internet as designed by computer scientists, difficulties in navigating complex online processes, such as eHealth services, and a lack of accessible infrastructure. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of improved accessibility, simplified interfaces, clearer instructions, and a supportive ecosystem to enhance their digital inclusion. It is a matter of people with intellectual disability being afforded equal rights to access health services.</p>}}, author = {{Normand, Claude L. and Gustavsson, Catharina and Alfredsson Ågren, Kristin and Heitplatz, Vanessa N. and Chadwick, Darren D. and Johansson, Stefan}}, booktitle = {{Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction - 18th International Conference, UAHCI 2024, Held as Part of the 26th HCI International Conference, HCII 2024, Proceedings}}, editor = {{Antona, Margherita and Stephanidis, Constantine}}, isbn = {{9783031608803}}, issn = {{1611-3349}}, keywords = {{Digital Inclusion; eHealth; Health Literacy; Impairments; Intellectual Disabilities}}, language = {{eng}}, pages = {{213--230}}, publisher = {{Springer Science and Business Media B.V.}}, series = {{Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)}}, title = {{“Mum Helps Me When the Internet Messes Up…” : Accessibility of eHealth Services for People with Intellectual Disability}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-60881-0_14}}, doi = {{10.1007/978-3-031-60881-0_14}}, volume = {{14697 LNCS}}, year = {{2024}}, }