User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study

Abstract BackgroundTechnology can be an effective tool for providing health services and disease self-management, especially in diabetes care. Technology tools for disease self-management include health-related applications for computers and smartphones as well as the use of r...

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Main Authors: Ching-Ju Chiu, Lin-Chun Hua, Jung-Hsien Chiang, Chieh-Ying Chou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-03-01
Series:JMIR Human Factors
Online Access:https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e48226
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author Ching-Ju Chiu
Lin-Chun Hua
Jung-Hsien Chiang
Chieh-Ying Chou
author_facet Ching-Ju Chiu
Lin-Chun Hua
Jung-Hsien Chiang
Chieh-Ying Chou
author_sort Ching-Ju Chiu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract BackgroundTechnology can be an effective tool for providing health services and disease self-management, especially in diabetes care. Technology tools for disease self-management include health-related applications for computers and smartphones as well as the use of robots. To provide a more effective continuity of care and to better understand and facilitate disease management in middle-aged and older adult patients with diabetes, robots can be used to improve the quality of care and supplement community health resources, such as community pharmacies. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop a health care robot prototype that can be integrated into current community pharmacies. MethodsThree user-centered approaches were used: (1) review of the literature on technology use among older adults, 2) reference to the seven key diabetes self-care behaviors by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), and (3) meeting with health care providers in the community. Field investigations and interviews were conducted at community pharmacies and diabetes health education centers to determine the appearance, interface, content, and function of the robot. ResultsThe results show that diabetes health care prototype robots can be established through user-centered design. The following important features were revealed: (1) perceived ease of use is considered a friendly operating interface; therefore, we used less than 3 buttons in an interface; (2) minimization of the interface between blue and yellow, which is unfriendly to older adults; (3) the health education mode was the most preferred mode with sound, image, and video presentation; (4) the most predilected functions are health education resources and health records, and that patient data can be easily collected through health education games and dialogue with robots; and (5) touching the screen is the most preferred operation mode. ConclusionsAn evidence-based health care robot can be developed through user-centered design, an approach in which a model that connects medical needs to people with health conditions can be built, thereby facilitating the sustainable development of technology in the diabetes care field.
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spelling doaj-art-547ba6df7fe94ed0ad38bcde905ddb072025-08-20T02:40:39ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952025-03-0112e48226e4822610.2196/48226User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability StudyChing-Ju Chiuhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-2352-9105Lin-Chun Huahttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-6479-8005Jung-Hsien Chianghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-4657-6705Chieh-Ying Chouhttp://orcid.org/0009-0006-1442-7146 Abstract BackgroundTechnology can be an effective tool for providing health services and disease self-management, especially in diabetes care. Technology tools for disease self-management include health-related applications for computers and smartphones as well as the use of robots. To provide a more effective continuity of care and to better understand and facilitate disease management in middle-aged and older adult patients with diabetes, robots can be used to improve the quality of care and supplement community health resources, such as community pharmacies. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop a health care robot prototype that can be integrated into current community pharmacies. MethodsThree user-centered approaches were used: (1) review of the literature on technology use among older adults, 2) reference to the seven key diabetes self-care behaviors by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), and (3) meeting with health care providers in the community. Field investigations and interviews were conducted at community pharmacies and diabetes health education centers to determine the appearance, interface, content, and function of the robot. ResultsThe results show that diabetes health care prototype robots can be established through user-centered design. The following important features were revealed: (1) perceived ease of use is considered a friendly operating interface; therefore, we used less than 3 buttons in an interface; (2) minimization of the interface between blue and yellow, which is unfriendly to older adults; (3) the health education mode was the most preferred mode with sound, image, and video presentation; (4) the most predilected functions are health education resources and health records, and that patient data can be easily collected through health education games and dialogue with robots; and (5) touching the screen is the most preferred operation mode. ConclusionsAn evidence-based health care robot can be developed through user-centered design, an approach in which a model that connects medical needs to people with health conditions can be built, thereby facilitating the sustainable development of technology in the diabetes care field.https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e48226
spellingShingle Ching-Ju Chiu
Lin-Chun Hua
Jung-Hsien Chiang
Chieh-Ying Chou
User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
JMIR Human Factors
title User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
title_full User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
title_fullStr User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
title_full_unstemmed User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
title_short User-Centered Prototype Design of a Health Care Robot for Treating Type 2 Diabetes in the Community Pharmacy: Development and Usability Study
title_sort user centered prototype design of a health care robot for treating type 2 diabetes in the community pharmacy development and usability study
url https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e48226
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