Research

Research assignment by RIVM

The centre for eHealth Research was assigned by the Dutch national health and care portal kiesBeter.nl to investigate two issues relevant to the portal. The first concerns the usability of the site for visitors with chronic diseases. Are they sufficiently served by the site’s functionalities, navigation, content, findability and usability? The second issues concerns the question of the need to employ the M-channel for the portal. While mobile health services increase in general, would there be a demand for mobile use of www.kiesBeter.nl? How should the site ideally perform to mobile users?

Ms. Anne-Margreeth Zuidema MSc. (background in social work, statistics and psychology) en Ms. Marjoke Bakker B.A. MSc. (background in cognitive psychology and computer sciences) work on these questions employing mixed research methods using screen capture applications, think-aloud protocols, focus groups and interviews. Final reports are due respectively in May and June 2009.

New PhD students

Ingrid Nota

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Roos van der Vaart

PhD students Ingrid Nota (M.A.) and Roos van der Vaart (M.A.) have been appointed at eHealth related research projects in rheumatology. One is on the development of patient decision aids (PtDA’s); the other is on the development of an interactive web-based health communication tool.

Ms. Nota received her bachelor degree in occupational therapy in 2007. She worked as an occupational therapist specialized in rheumatology. She greatly esteems client centeredness and self-management. Her master thesis in Health Sciences / Health Care Management (University of Twente) was aimed at the development of a theoretical framework for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of innovative operating room technology. She received her master degree in January 2009. Her PhD project concerns patient participation i.e. patient decision aids (PtDA’s), in treatment decisions of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Roos van der Vaart graduated in Psychology at the University of Utrecht in 2008. Her master thesis focused on monitoring and coaching stress complaints using mobile telephones. During a six month project following her graduation she studied the feasibility and usability of an online self management program for people with migraine. Her PhD project, the development of an online interactive health communication application, regards the support of rheumatic patients in coping with their disease. Tools for peer-to-peer communication, patient-provider communication and self management will be developed and tested on usability and effectiveness.