Consumers are increasingly using the Internet to find information to support health-related decisions. This study evaluated two software tools, Mr. Taggy and SparTag.us, which are designed to help users filter and identify relevant information and organize and make sense of information. Participants included 80 adults, aged 35–82, who performed health information search tasks. Twenty participants used Mr. Taggy and another 20 used Spartag.us. The search tasks varied according to the tool characteristics. Two corresponding control groups, each with 20 participants, performed the tasks using the Google search engine. Participants also completed cognitive ability tests and a usability questionnaire. The findings indicated that participants using the tools found them useful and usable. However, participants using Google had significantly better task performance. Although cognitive abilities were related to task performance, a wider variety of abilities were related to performance in the aided conditions compared with the unaided conditions. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring that the cognitive demands associated with software tools do not outweigh the benefits of these tools, especially for users who are not highly practiced at using them.

OBJECTIVE: The use of the internet as a source of health information and link to healthcare services has raised concerns about the ability of consumers, especially vulnerable populations such as older adults, to access these applications. This study examined the influence of training on the ability of adults (aged 45+ years) to use the Medicare.gov website to solve problems related to health management. The influence of computer experience and cognitive abilities on performance was also examined. DESIGN: Seventy-one participants, aged 47-92, were randomized into a Multimedia training, Unimodal training, or Cold Start condition and completed three healthcare management problems. MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSES: Computer/internet experience was measured via questionnaire, and cognitive abilities were assessed using standard neuropsychological tests. Performance metrics included measures of navigation, accuracy and efficiency. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, χ(2) and regression techniques. RESULTS: The data indicate that there was no difference among the three conditions on measures of accuracy, efficiency, or navigation. However, results of the regression analyses showed that, overall, people who received training performed better on the tasks, as evidenced by greater accuracy and efficiency. Performance was also significantly influenced by prior computer experience and cognitive abilities. Participants with more computer experience and higher cognitive abilities performed better. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that training, experience, and abilities are important when using complex health websites. However, training alone is not sufficient. The complexity of web content needs to be considered to ensure successful use of these websites by those with lower abilities.

This study investigated the influences of knowledge, particularly Internet, Web browser, and search engine knowledge, as well as cognitive abilities on older adult information seeking on the Internet. The emphasis on aspects of cognition was informed by a modeling framework of search engine information-seeking behavior. Participants from two older age groups were recruited: twenty people in a younger-old group (ages 60-70) and twenty people in an older-old group (ages 71-85). Ten younger adults (ages 18-39) served as a comparison group. All participants had at least some Internet search experience. The experimental task consisted of six realistic search problems, all involving information related to health and well-being and which varied in degree of complexity. The results indicated that though necessary, Internet-related knowledge was not sufficient in explaining information-seeking performance, and suggested that a combination of both knowledge and key cognitive abilities is important for successful information seeking. In addition, the cognitive abilities that were found to be critical for task performance depended on the search problem's complexity. Also, significant differences in task performance between the younger and the two older age groups were found on complex, but not on simple problems. Overall, the results from this study have implications for instructing older adults on Internet information seeking and for the design of Web sites.

This paper describes the development and application of a methodology for evaluating how physicians and nurses view the usefulness of various sources of patient information available within a hospital intensive care unit (ICU). The methodology encompasses semi-structured interviews, task analysis, a simulated case study of a critically ill patient, verbal protocol analysis, questionnaire responses based on both past experiences in the ICU and performance on the simulated task, and a post-task interview. Eleven nurses and six physicians participated in the study. Analysis of the questionnaires revealed significant differences in the rankings of the information sources by both the nurses and the physicians on each of seven evaluation criteria. Significant differences were also found among both the physicians and the nurses in rankings of the relative importance of the individual information sources for meeting task requirements. A framework for describing information gathering applicable to critical care environments was proposed as a means for better understanding how information sources are used. Overall, the methodology was found to be useful in terms of providing valuable data regarding the utility and usability of information sources. The importance of using a systematic approach for assessing the usefulness of information sources, particularly from the perspectives of performing design interventions and predicting the effectiveness of new information technologies, as well as the limitations in adopting this type of approach, are also discussed.

The pervasive use of computers in work settings implies that an increased number of workers, with varying levels of skills and abilities, will be performing computerbased tasks. This study investigated the impact of age, cognitive abilities, and computer experience on the performance of a real world data entry task. One hundred and ten subjects, ranging in age from 20 - 75 years, performed the task for nine hours following task training. The results indicated that abilities such as visuo-spatial skills, motor skills and processing speed had a significant impact on performance as did age and prior computer experience. With respect to age, the older participants completed less work than the younger and middle-aged subjects. Age differences in psychomotor skills and processing speed appeared to be important factors underlying age effects. In fact, the data indicated that after controlling for differences in these abilities age was no longer a significant predictor of work output. Further, after controlling for differences in work output the older people made fewer errors than the younger people. Overall the data suggest that older people will be at a disadvantage in the performance of computer-based data entry work to the extent to which speed of responding is emphasized. However, if speed of responding is not a critical element of performance they will be able to achieve comparable levels of performance to that of younger people.

This study investigated the effectiveness of different types of on-line feedback following user errors for informing users of the information and functions available in a system with a natural language interface. Twenty-four individuals performed a task based on an industry cost savings program, in which they were given general goals to pursue with regard to the task. Three feedback levels which differed according to the type and amount of feedback provided, along with two levels of system complexity, were examined. In addition, subjects performed the task again after one week to determine the effects of feedback on retention. Results indicated that the subjects in the second level of feedback generally performed better with respect to accessing system functions and information than those in the first level. Although there was some performance improvement from the second to third level, it was not significant. However, the third level of feedback did significantly improve the efficiency with which subjects used information to complete the task during the return condition. Overall, feedback did not affect the errors made, though at certain more limited stages of the tasks this effect was observed.

The resurgence of interest in occupational stress has resulted in an emphasis on identifying work conditions that are potentially causal in generating stress reactions and psychological disorders among workers. Although a considerable knowledge base related to this topic has evolved, relatively little is known regarding the impact of computer technology on incidence of job stress. This issue is especially important for older workers, given the increased use of computers in most occupations, the aging of the workforce, and the changes in cognitive and physiological capacities that occur with increased age. The study reported in this article was concerned with developing a methodology to evaluate stress for computer‐interactive tasks as a function of the mental workload of the task and the age of the individual. Sixty‐five women ranging in age from 25 to 70 years performed three computer‐interactive tasks that varied as a function of information processing complexity and pacing requirements. The methodology encompassed physiological, subjective, and performance measures. Results indicated differences in sensitivity among the measures as a function of task and age. The data also indicated age differences in stress reactions and performance. The findings are discussed in terms of the suitability of computer tasks for older people.