Biomedical subjects

Carmen Carroll

Publications and source records attributed to Carmen Carroll.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Involving users in the design and usability evaluation of a clinical decision support system.

AIM: To design and evaluate a clinical decision support system (CDSS) to support cardiovascular risk prevention in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A preliminary requirements specification and three prototype CDSS interface designs were developed. Seven patients and seven clinicians conducted 'usability tests' on five different task scenarios with the CDSS prototypes to test its effectiveness, efficiency and 'user-friendliness'. Structured, qualitative questions explored their preferences for the different designs and overall impressions of clinical usefulness. RESULTS: Patients and clinicians were enthusiastic about the CDSS and used it confidently after a short learning period. Some patients had difficulty interpreting clinical data, but most were keen to see the CDSS used to help them understand their diabetes, provided a clinician explained their results. Clinicians' main concern was that the CDSS would increase consultation times. Changes suggested by users were incorporated into the final interface design. CONCLUSION: We have successfully incorporated patients' and clinicians' views into the design of a CDSS, but it was an arduous process.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

PubMed2002

An electronic learning portfolio for reflective continuing professional development.

OBJECTIVES: These were to measure the uptake and use of an electronic learning portfolio to support reflective continuing professional development, and to characterize attitudes towards its use and obstacles to its adoption. DESIGN: Uncontrolled, longitudinal intervention study with quantitative and qualitative evaluation. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians with a specialty interest in endocrinology and diabetes mellitus, registered for continuing professional development with the Royal College of Physicians, London. INTERVENTION: All registered consultants were offered a 1-year free trial of PC Diary. Those who accepted were offered a training workshop. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quantitative and qualitative responses to a simple questionnaire. Two researchers independently used a template approach to analyse free-text responses and jointly agreed a final system of coding. RESULTS: 22% of registered consultants applied to participate; 14% attended training workshops. Of registered participants, 94% returned the questionnaire. PC Diary was used by 34%, but only 10% used it regularly. Among the registrants, 54% asked to continue their subscription for a second year, and 40% asked for further training. There were emotive expressions of both like and dislike, often coupled with statements about the individual's learning style. Time pressures and lack of computer access, literacy and support were dominant obstacles to adoption. CONCLUSIONS: There was considerable support for reflective learning using an electronic portfolio. Acceptability and use were influenced by individual learning style, resources, training and technical support, and these were often inadequate. The balance for consultants between workload demands and support provided did not favour a reflective type of learning.

Attitude to Computers↗

PubMed2002

"You can't cure it so you have to endure it": the experience of adaptation to diabetic renal disease.

In this study, the experience of adaptation to diabetic renal disease was examined from a phenomenological perspective. Twenty patients attending a diabetic renal clinic were interviewed in depth. Through the use of a template analysis approach, a set of strong themes relating to changes in lifestyle was identified: changes in the nature of involvement with the medical system, coping strategies, and hopes, fears, and expectations. Almost all participants attempted to construct a "good adaptation" in the face of the uncertainties surrounding their condition by adopting a stoic and fatalistic stance. This is discussed in the context of the claim that contemporary society holds emotional self-expression rather than stoical endurance to be the appropriate response to suffering.

Adaptation, Psychological↗