Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40477950›Full record

ArticleInternational journal on interactive design and manufacturing2022

Can assistive technology support social services during Covid-19 emergency? Barriers and opportunities.

Laura Fiorini, Erika Rovini, Alessandra Sorrentino, Omair Khalid, Luigi Coviello, Lorenzo Radi, Lara Toccafondi, Filippo Cavallo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal on interactive design and manufacturing, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Laura FioriniDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5784-3752
Erika RoviniDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Alessandra SorrentinoThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Pisa Italy.
Omair KhalidThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Pisa Italy.
Luigi CovielloThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Pisa Italy.
Lorenzo RadiThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Pisa Italy.
Lara ToccafondiUmana Persone Development and Research Social Enterprise, Grosseto, Italy.
Filippo CavalloDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

During the COVID-19 emergency, most domiciliary social services were suspended to avoid the risk of contagion, leaving older people at a greater risk of social isolation. Assistive technology has the potential to support the work of social professionals in promoting social inclusion and assistance of the older people. In this context, this paper aims to investigate the expectations of social operators toward assistive technology before and during the COVID-19 emergency. It also explores how the said emergency could guide us to implement social services in the future, including a discussion on the barriers to the adoption of assistive technologies. A total of 72 social professionals participated in this study comprising of three phases: two online questionnaires and one semi structured interview. In the first two phases, the two online questionnaires were administered before and during the COVID-19 emergency to 62 social professionals. In the third phase, 10 social workers were interviewed to discuss the results of the previous questionnaires to gain an in-depth understanding. The results highlight that the COVID-19 emergency is responsible for an increased perceived need of services involving telepresence, proposing a hybrid paradigm of assistance with both remote and in-presence assistance. Furthermore, the identified barriers to technology adoption are lack of organizational structure and ready-to-use technology. As for the facilitators for the technology adoption, social workers suggested investing in education and training of social professionals to reduce skepticism towards the usefulness of technology. The social professionals involved in this study highlight a generally positive view of technology in supporting their work. Finally, the lessons learned is also presented as a guideline for researchers in this field. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12008-021-00836-3.

Indexed as

Covid-19Older adultsSocial professionalsTechnology expectationTechnology for active aging

Identifiers

PMID40477950
PMCPMC8810343

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.