Virtual Ocupational Therapy Application (VOTA) Research Published in American Journal of Occupational Therapy

“Behavioral intention to use a virtual instrumental activities of daily living system among people with stroke,” a paper by Rick Adams and our UVa HealthSouth partners Allison Ellington, OT, Marga White, OT, and Paul Diamond, M.D., has been accepted to and published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. The paper covers research results of the VOTA Phase I SBIR study sponsored by National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, grant 1R43HD071745-01A1.

Reference:

Ellington, A., Adams, R., White, M., & Diamond, P. (2015). Behavioral intention to use a virtual instrumental activities of daily living system among people with stroke. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69, 1-8.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2015.014373

Abstract:

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral intention to use (BIU) regarding a virtual system for practice instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) among people with stroke.

Method. Fourteen people who had sustained a stroke used a virtual world-based system over four sessions to participate in virtual occupations of preparing meals and putting away groceries.  To investigate intention to use the technology, participants responded to a questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model and were interviewed about the experience.

Results. Analysis of questionnaire results revealed favorable attitudes toward the technology and statistically significant correlations between these attitudes and positive BIU.  Analysis of qualitative data revealed four themes to support system use: Use of the affected arm increased, the virtual practice was enjoyable, the technology was user-friendly, and the system reflected real-life activities.

Conclusion. This study shows that participants reported positive BIU for the virtual system for practicing IADLs.