Provision of health care services or information exchange in the health context through computers devices and related technologies (e.g. the internet).
Published in Chapter:
Contribution of an Intelligent Virtual Assistant to Healthy Ageing in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Mara Pereira Guerreiro (UI&DE, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa, CiiEM, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Portugal), Isa Brito Félix (UI&DE, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa, Portugal), João Balsa (Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal), Maria Beatriz Carmo (BioISI, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal), Maria Adriana Henriques (UI&DE, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa, ISAMB, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal), Afonso Cavaco (iMed.ULisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal), and Ana Paula Cláudio (BioISI, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 37
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-1937-0.ch012
Abstract
This chapter describes the development of a theory-driven and evidence-based digital intervention to facilitate self-care in older adults with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and, additionally, its contribution to healthy aging and the individual care plan. T2D is highly prevalent in older adults. Difficulties in adopting and maintaining desirable self-care behaviors is associated with lack of glycemic control and subsequent complications, which significantly burden patients, their families, and the health system. The VASelfCare (Virtual Assistant Self-Care) intervention is a software application that provides an interface with a 3D anthropomorphic virtual assistant targeting three key self-care behaviors: medication-taking, physical activity, and a healthy diet. Other VASelfCare elements are intended for nurses providing diabetes consultations, including a web-based back-office with a patient data dashboard, which streamlines integration of care. The application prototype has been co-produced with older adults with T2D, primary care health professionals, and other stakeholders.