Search the digital library catalog

Abstract: Healthcare systems around the world are currently witnessing various challenges, including population aging and workforce shortages. As a result, the existing, overworked staff are struggling to meet the ever-increasing demands and provide the desired quality of care. One of the promising technological solutions that could complement the human workforce and alleviate some of their workload, are socially assistive humanoid robots. However, despite their potential, the implementation of socially assistive humanoid robots is often challenging due to low acceptance among key stakeholders, namely, patients and healthcare professionals. Hence, the present study first investigated the extent to which these stakeholders accept the use of socially assistive humanoid robots in nursing and care routine, and second, explored the characteristics that contribute to higher/lower acceptance within these groups, with a particular emphasis on demographic variables, technology expectations, ethical acceptability, and negative attitudes. In study 1, conducted on a sample of 490 healthcare professionals, the results of structural equation modeling showed that acceptance is driven primarily by aspects of ethical acceptability, although education and technology expectations also exert an indirect effect. In study 2, conducted on a sample of 371 patients, expectations regarding capabilities and attitudes towards the social influence of robots emerged as important predictors of acceptance. Moreover, although acceptance rates differed between tasks, both studies show a relatively high acceptance of socially assistive humanoid robots. Despite certain limitations, the study findings provide essential knowledge that enhances our understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions and acceptance of socially assistive humanoid robots in hospital environments, and may guide their deployment.
Keywords: socially assistive humanoid robots, attitudes, expectations, patients, healthcare professionals
Published in DKUM: 12.06.2024; Views: 166; Downloads: 8
Full text (1,74 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: Introduction: Palliative care aims to provide an early person-centred approach to patients with non-communicable disease(s) by monitoring distressing symptoms, providing support at all four domains of health, supporting their care partners, and enhancing the quality of patients and their care partners' lives. A problem lies in the late introduction of person-centred palliative care in acute care and the emergence of barriers to providing such care. Therefore, the present doctoral thesis explores the perceptions of person-centred palliative care of healthcare professionals and patients with non-communicable disease(s). Based on the results of both data analyses, we identified the key components of a model to provide person-centred palliative care for patients and their care partners. Methods: A two-phase sequential explanatory design was used, which involved collecting data in consecutive phases between August 2020 and July 2021. The study's first phase involved health professionals and patients from eight institutions, and the second phase involved health professionals, patients and care partners. Data from the first part of the study were gathered using validated questionnaires, and inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the results. Semi-structured interviews were used in the second phase to collect data, then thematically analysed. We have merged the outcomes of the quantitative and qualitative stages utilising the pillar integration approach in order to interpret them in a more thorough and comprehensive manner. Results: Through the data integration process, we identify four key components to providing person-centred palliative care in patients with non-communicable disease(s). These components are: (1) Healthcare professionals' prerequisites and traits; (2) Person-centred palliative care environment; (3) Person-centred palliative process; and (4) Person-centred palliative care outcome. A Healthcare professional's prerequisites and traits can be said to contain three aspects: (1) Attitudes, (2) Commitment to the work and (3) Values and beliefs. When these three aspects are considered, a person-centred palliative care environment can be created. Here it is important to consider four aspects: (1) Transdisciplinary approach; (2) Patient empowerment; (3) Partner engagement; and (4) Institution/policy climate. A person-centred palliative process that allows the patient to maintain their quality of life and dignity includes the following aspects: (1) Person-centred approach; (2) Establishing an advance care plan; (3) Early integration of person-centred palliative care, and (4) Enlightenment and raising awareness. Person-centred palliative care outcomes can be (1) Positive experiences and (2) Negative experiences. Discussion and conclusion: Person-centred palliative care is essential in treating patients with non-communicable diseases. For that reason, it is pivotal to follow the four key components of how to provide person-centred palliative care, comprising: (1) Healthcare professionals' prerequisites and traits, (2) The person-centred palliative environment, (3) The person-centred palliative process and (4) The person-centred palliative outcomes. These four key components provide healthcare professionals and transdisciplinary palliative teams with the steps for providing person-centred palliative care to the patient and support to the care partners. The term ‘patient’ is herein used to denote patients with one or more non-communicable disease(s).
Keywords: person-centred care, palliative care, patients, care partners, healthcare professionals', mixed-method, sequential explanatory design
Published in DKUM: 10.11.2023; Views: 702; Downloads: 207
Full text (5,55 MB)