Transcript Document

SPRY/NIH CONFERENCE
PRESENTATION: October 2, 2003
Cyber Seniors / Cyber Teens
“Cyber Health”
An intergenerational approach
to improving the health of older adults
Elizabeth Isele, Founder & President, CyberSeniors.org
Lawrence B. Schiamberg, Michigan State University
Need for Intergenerational
Perspective

Programs enlisting intergenerational resources of
communities provide opportunities for serving needs of
multiple generations, including older adults.

Intergenerational programs provide support for older
adult caregiving by linking generations in social tasks
and responsibilities, which
 enhance older adult health and
 continue success of ongoing caregiving
CyberSeniors/CyberTeens:
Exemplary Program for Bridging
Digital & Generational Divides

Provides training in computer & internet skills to older
adults by youth
 Unique partnership among AARP/National Retired
Teachers Assoc, USDA/4-H, and
CyberSeniors.org
 Created to empower seniors through purposeful
use of technology for:

Achieving better health

Fostering lifelong learning
CyberHealth
 Specific health education program designed to
promote health literacy and healthy lifestyles
among 2 segments of population: seniors &
young people.
 Special focus of CS/CT
 Majority of older adult healthcare consumers
left out of educational loop due to:

lack of computer skills

health care information often beyond lay
person’s understanding
–
CS/CT Objectives
 Fostering older adult independence
 Overarching goal is to demonstrate how
access to Internet’s information resources, and
increased communication between seniors and their
communities can help equip them to:

retain their independence

retain their dignity

retain their purpose

retain their long-term mental & physical
well-being

retain their sense of community
CS/CT Objectives
 Computer literacy provides seniors with a
“window to the world,” that can reduce social isolation by:
 increasing social connections (major factor
in elder health & well-being)
 fostering real-life communication and relationships
between teens and seniors
 teaching seniors how to use Internet to connect
with people of all ages online in a supportive
virtual community.
CS/CT Objectives

By utilizing the unlimited access to educational
resources through the Internet, CS/CT enhances
healthcare opportunities and ongoing caregiving
efforts for older adults.


CS/CT promotes health literacy, including
awareness of quality healthcare
CS/CT enhances health-seeking behaviors
CS/CT Objectives

By creating a dynamic of intergenerational collaboration
between seniors and teens in CS/CT workshops, the
program contributes to positive youth development by:



fostering self-efficacy
promoting social/citizenship skills
encouraging healthy lifestyle development
The MSU CS/CT Project
The ongoing MSU CS/CT Project has the following objectives:
 Measuring outcomes in 3 diverse Michigan communities: urban
(Detroit, inner city), suburban, and rural Upper Peninsula
 Evaluating changes in intergenerational attitudes (youth toward
seniors, and vice versa)
 Evaluating development of older adult computer literacy,
including Internet skills
 Measuring social capital formation. How do the
intergenerational relationships forged in the CS/CT project
promote social connectedness, attachment to others, social trust
and investment?
CyberHealth
An intergenerational, Web-based health literacy program
designed to teach Seniors:
How to Find, Evaluate and Use Online Health Resources to
Become Informed Health Consumers
• Recipient of the 2003 ASA/MetLife Foundation
“MIND ALERT” Award
• Recipient of a Silver Medal in the 2003 National Health
Information Awards
CyberHealth
This Teacher-Facilitated, Web-based Workshop
Is Designed to Teach Seniors How to Use the
Internet’s Resources To:
• Become informed health consumers
• Take a more proactive role in their healthcare
• Modify their health behaviors
• Work in partnership with their healthcare providers to
make more informed healthcare decisions
CyberHealth
Goals:
• Teach Seniors how to find, evaluate and use online health resources.
• Motivate and empower Seniors with the knowledge and skills
necessary to change their health behaviors.
• Measure the affect of access to online health information and
resources on changing health behaviors.
CyberHealth
Behavior change is a process and the following
theories were utilized in the creation of CyberHealth
to address individuals at varying stages of
motivation or readiness:
• Stages of Change Model
• Health Belief Model
• Consumer Information Processing Theory
CyberHealth
Each online workbook page is hyperlinked
to the actual online resource.
• Easy navigation from page to page and chapter
to chapter within the workbook.
• Easy navigation between the workbook and live
Web pages and back to the workbook.
Online Workbook Opening Page:
Online Workbook Contents Page:
Online Workbook Contents Page 2:
Online Workbook Contents Page 3:
Online Workbook Opening Page (Spanish):
Online Workbook Contents Page (Spanish):
Online Workbook Page:
Online Workbook Page:
Online Workbook Page:
Research Questions to Be Addressed include:
• Does a Senior’s/Young Person’s health change after taking
CyberHealth?
• Does access to health information change participants’ health
seeking behaviors?
• Does access to health information change participants’
attitudes towards their healthcare?
• Does participation in this intergenerational workshop change
seniors’ attitudes towards young people?
• Does participation in this intergenerational workshop change
youths’ attitudes towards elders?
• Will youth alter their health behaviors after seeing the
manifestation of those behaviors in the seniors with
whom they are working?
• How does access to health information and other online
resources change participants’ relationships to doctors?
• Does the challenging mental exercise involved in learning
the technology have a positive affect on the health of the
brain?
• What are the barriers to finding relevant health
information online?
• How does the real-life, intergenerational workshop setting
affect Seniors’ emotional well-being?
• Does access to online communication reduce Seniors’ sense
of isolation, loneliness and depression?
• Will participants continue to access health information online
six weeks after the workshop; twelve months after the
workshop; two years after the workshop?
Imbedded Survey
• Demographic Information
• Computer Skills/Usage Questions
• Health-Related Questions
Demographic Information
CyberSeniors Health Survey 2003
Distribution of Gender
No Answer
3%
M a le
27%
n = 122
F e m a le
70%
CyberSeniors Health Survey 2003
Distribution of Age
2%
2%
< 45
0%
12%
45 to 59
60 to 74
75 to 84
No Answer
57%
27%
85 and >
n = 122
1%
1%
2%
CyberS eniors Health S urvey 2003
Ethnic Distribution
2%
5%
6%
44%
18%
21%
n = 122
Caucasian
Pacific Islander
Hispanic
Other (with Description)
Asian
Native American
No Answer
African American
Other (no Description)
CyberS eniors Health S urvey 2003
Response to Question: "Do You Live Alone?"
No Answer
4%
Yes
11%
n = 122
No
85%
1%
CyberS eniors Health S urvey 2003
Primary Language
2%
4%
English
16%
Other
Spanish
No Answer
59%
Armenian
18%
French
n = 122
CyberSeniors Health Survey 2003
State Locations of Survey Respondents
Other
2%
New England
7%
Kentucky
12%
Illinois
28%
n = 122
American Samoa
23%
Virginia
28%
CyberS eniors Health S urvey 2003
Distribution of Income
10%
Over $45,000
32%
13%
$10,000 to $25,000
$25,000 to $45,000
Under $10,000
16%
No Answer
29%
n = 122
Macular Degeneration 1
Chronic Fatique 1
CyberSeniors Health Survey 2003
Numbers of People with Serious
or Chronic Illness
Sickle Cell Anemia 2
Heart Disease 4
Diabetes 6
Other Illness 28
Depression 7
n = 122 ( total Population )
AIDS, Cancer, and Glaucoma
were all zero
Arthritis 9
Hypertension 12
Fair
12%
Excellent
19%
Poor
1%
CyberS eniors Health S urvey 2003
Response to Question:
"In general, how would
you rate your health?"
Good
40%
n = 122
No Answer
28%
Health-Related Questions
19. How much control do you think you have
over your health ?
Very little
Some
Quite a lot
Very much
26. Why did you first begin to look for
health information online?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
I was diagnosed with a new health problem
I was looking for ways to help treat my chronic disease
Someone I know was diagnosed with a new disease
I wanted to change my diet
I wanted to find a good exercise program
I wanted to find out about a new prescription
I wanted to learn more about my upcoming surgery
I wanted to check my doctor’s reputation
I wanted to find a good hospital
Other (please specify)
28. When you go online to look for health
information, how often are you able to locate the
information you want?
Always
Most often
Sometimes
Hardly ever
Never
29. Do you think the health information you find
online is easy to read and understand?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Hardly ever
Never
30. To what degree do you trust the health information
you find on the Internet?
100%
75%
50%
25%
10%
Don't trust any health information on the Internet.
33. How much has finding health information on
the Internet improved the way you take care of
your health?
A lot
Quite a bit
Some
A little
Not much
Not at all
37. On average, how many sites do you visit
before you find the information you want?
One
Two
Three
Six
Hardly ever find it
Never find it
41. Do you take the information you've printed out
with you when you go to see you doctor?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Hardly ever
Never
47. In which of the following ways, if any, did the information
you found online affect your health or health care? (Please
check all that apply)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Affect a decision about how to treat an illness or condition
Change your attitude towards your health care provider
Affect a decision about surgery
Change your approach to your own health maintenance
Affect the way you cope with a chronic condition
Affect the way you manage pain
Change the way you think about diet, exercise, stress
Affect the ways in which you pay for your healthcare
Change your attitude about support groups
Other (please specify)
How to Launch
CyberSeniorsCyberTeens in Your
Community ?
It Takes A Plan !
• Vision
• Access to the Technology
• Computer Competency Training
– Teachers (Adults and Youth)
– Senior Participants
• Meaningful Content
• Funding
• Evaluation and Assessment
• Sustainability
Community Effort
• Volunteers
• Transportation
• Access to Computers
• Content
• Connectivity
• Technical Support
• Evaluation and Research
Let us help you launch a
CyberSeniorsCyberTeens
CyberHealth
program in your community!
Call us toll-free at 888-676-6622
Or visit our Website
www.cyberseniors.org/cyberteens
Bridging the Digital and Generational Divide
Building Healthy 21st Century Communities!