193 Beyond Independence: The Empowering Potential of an Assistive Technology Web App to Enrich the Lives of Older Latinos with Functional Disabilities

• Published in: Journal of clinical and translational science Vol. 8; no. s1; p. 59
• Main Authors: Orellano-Colon, Elsa M., Bonilla-Díaz, Wency, Revilla-Orellano, Radamés, Mejías-Castro, Jesús, Torres-Irizarry, Josí, Figueroa-Alvira, Nixmarie, Fernández-Torres, Angelis M, Ortiz-Vélez, Bernice, Torres-Ferrer, Gabriela A., Rivera-Rivera, Nina L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Adaptive technology; Handicapped assistance devices; Hispanic Americans; Older people; Population studies; Quality of life; Software; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 2059-8661; 2059-8661
• DOI: 10.1017/cts.2024.184

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The use of assistive technology (AT) devices is known to improve older adults’ independence in daily activities. However, little is known about the impact of using an AT web app in older Latinos’ life. This study aims to evaluate the value and usefulness of the My Assistive Technology Guide web app among older Latinos with physical function disabilities. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We employed a convergent parallel mixed-method design with 12 community-living older Latinos from Puerto Rico. Researchers provided training in the use of My Assistive Technology Guide, a Spanish evidence-based web app with detailed information on 97 AT devices and videos of older people using them. Participants were encouraged to use it for 30 days. Afterward, we collected quantitative data using the subjective quality domain of the User Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS), followed by qualitative data through individual interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative data with thematic content analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: My Assistive Technology Guide web app received high ratings in the uMARS subjective quality domain (mean 4.5 [SD 0.5] out of 5), indicating that participants highly valued the usefulness of the web app. Qualitative data fell into four main categories: functional health, meaningful participation, autonomy, and personal growth. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The findings suggest that the AT knowledge provided by the My Assistive Technology Guide web app has the potential to enhance the quality of life of older Latinos in the face of the challenges posed by physical function disabilities as people age.