International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 12, Issue 12, 2015, Pages 15339-15351

Assessing the acceptability and usability of an internet-based intelligent health assistant developed for use among Turkish migrants: Results of a study conducted in Bremen, Germany (Article) (Open Access)

Samkange-Zeeb F. , Ernst S.A. , Klein-Ellinghaus F. , Brand T. , Reeske-Behrens A. , Plumbaum T. , Zeeb H.*
  • a Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Achterstraße 30, Bremen, 28359, Germany, Department of Anthropology and Cultural Research, University of Bremen, Enrique-Schmidt-Str. 7, Bremen, 28359, Germany
  • b Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Achterstraße 30, Bremen, 28359, Germany
  • c Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Achterstraße 30, Bremen, 28359, Germany
  • d Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Achterstraße 30, Bremen, 28359, Germany
  • e Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Friedrich-Henkel-Weg 1-25, Dortmund, 44149, Germany
  • f Distributed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Technical University Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 7, Berlin, 10587, Germany
  • g Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Achterstraße 30, Bremen, 28359, Germany

Abstract

The Internet offers a new chance for health professionals to reach population groups not usually reached through traditional information channels, for example, migrants. Criticism has, however, been raised that most health information on the Internet is not easy to read and lacks cultural sensitivity. We developed an Internet-based bilingual health assistant especially for Turkish migrants in Germany, tested its acceptance, and evaluated its usability in a participatory research design with families with and without Turkish migrant background. The interactive health assistant covered the following: nutrition, physical activity, overweight, diabetes, as well as pregnancy and pregnancy support. The idea of an Internet-based health assistant was generally accepted by all participants of the evaluation study, as long as it would be incorporated in existing appliances, such as smartphones. The bilingual nature of the assistant was welcomed especially by first generation migrants, but migrant participants also indicated that not all health information needed to be made available in a culture-specific way. The participants were least satisfied with the nutrition component, which they felt should include recipes and ingredients from the culture of origin, as well as specific aspects of food preparation. © 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Information Technology Internet prevention Migrant health

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology consumer health information immigrant Germany food processing human middle aged statistics and numerical data controlled study Aged Internet ethnology procedures qualitative research program development Young Adult Humans migrant psychology information Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants female evaluation study medical information system Article health care information technology Bremen [Bremen (STT)] nutrition intelligent health assistant Bremen [Germany] adult Turkey patient attitude smartphone Culturally Competent Care participatory research Community-Based Participatory Research transcultural care Patient Acceptance of Health Care program acceptability Turkish citizen satisfaction Multilingualism mobile phone Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84949255742&doi=10.3390%2fijerph121214987&partnerID=40&md5=9afd2841b40f5e3079c3e03a383c1ac9
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph121214987
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English