Bincy Baby was awarded the 2024 Research Impact Canada Engaged Scholarship Award for her project, User Experience with Medication Adherence Technologies: Determining Usability by Capabilities in Older Adults.
About Project
According to Statistics Canada 2023 report, the proportion of people aged 65 and older will increase from 18.9% in 2023 to between 21.9%-32.3% by 2073. This shift presents opportunities and challenges for healthcare, social support, and the economy. Addressing their needs is crucial for promoting healthy aging and well-being.
Our research project focuses on one of the concerns for older adults: medication management and adherence. Many older adults take multiple medications for chronic diseases, which can lead to problems like inappropriate prescriptions, drug interactions, side effects, and not taking medications as prescribed. Additionally, the cognitive and physical challenges associated with aging make managing medications even more difficult. If medications are not managed appropriately, it can compromise their independence and often lead to the need for assisted living.
We aim to address these challenges by exploring the use of Medication Adherence Technology (MATech). Existing products on the market vary significantly in design, function, and features, affecting their usability and user experience. Our research focuses on identifying the types of MATech that are most appropriate for older adults with different challenges, including physical, cognitive, sensory, motivational, and environmental factors. By matching these design features with the specific abilities of older adults, we aim to ensure that the technologies are effective and accessible for them based on their specific needs.
This project has three main objectives. Our first objective was to identify the best tools to measure various abilities related to physical, cognitive, sensory, motivational, and environmental factors and their impact on medication management. Through a scoping review, we identified 41 valid tools for these measurements. Secondly, to match abilities with features of devices, we developed a classification system for MATech using the Taxonomy Development Method by Nickerson et al. This process involved a group of physicians, pharmacists, engineers, and patient knowledge users who worked together and reached consensus on the classification system. Thirdly, we conducted a mixed-method study where we invited 96 older adults with diverse physical, cognitive, sensory, motivational, and environmental abilities to use various products under observation. Data collected during this phase allowed us to determine their probability of successfully performing various tasks associated with using a device, thereby enabling us to identify features that are most and least suitable for a person based on their specific needs.
To ensure the project’s relevance and applicability, we actively involved two older adult knowledge users. Their contributions were sought during key phases, including study selection, screening, and data extraction during the scoping review. They also helped shape the classification system for MATech, providing valuable feedback on its practicality and usability. Furthermore, they observed and offered suggestions on the methods and scales used during user experience testing.
We collaborated with community organizations, research institutes, and retirement homes to ensure the research was informed by a broad range of perspectives and experiences. Presentations and outreach efforts at these organizations facilitated knowledge dissemination, older adult engagement, and recruitment. Additionally, we partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to exchange expertise and research findings. We are committed to making our research findings accessible to non-academic audiences through community outreach presentations and social media dissemination. To date, we have conducted 11 outreach/knowledge dissemination meetings across Ontario and presented our findings through poster and podium presentations at academic conferences.
Through this engaged scholarship approach, we aim to emphasize collaboration and community involvement in research. Our goals are to empower older adults and their care partners to select the most suitable MATech, work with community organizations to enhance lives and medication management skills, offer valuable insights for healthcare professionals and researchers, and inform evidence-based policies to support effective medication management and aging in place. Please feel free to visit https://www.tejalpatelresearch.com/ to read more about our research works.
About Award Recipient
Bincy recently graduated from the University of Waterloo with an MSc in Pharmacy in May 2024. She also holds a PharmD degree from Kerala University of Health Sciences in India and has experience as a neurology clinical specialist. Her thesis focused on technology-based solutions for medication management among older adults, encompassing user experience studies, a scoping review of medication management barriers, and a classification system for adherence technologies. Bincy is dedicated to improving medication and health outcomes for older adults through her research, community engagement, and professional practice.