University of Twente Student Theses
Web-based self-care for acute non-specific low back pain: An exploratory study of user experience and acceptability
Yuan, W. (2017) Web-based self-care for acute non-specific low back pain: An exploratory study of user experience and acceptability.
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Abstract: | This study is an initial attempt to gain insight into the experiences and acceptance of people with acute non-specific low back pain receiving web-based self-care prior to visiting health care providers in Twente. The self-care was performed on mijntelerevalidatie.nl, which is an online intervention providing healthcare service to chronic ill patients at home. Literature study and semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify available effective exercises in physiotherapy. Existing exercises on mijntelerevalidatie.nl were then categorized for the web-based self-care of patients with acute non-specific low back pain. A mixed-methods approach was applied to elicit participants’ perception and experience in using the web-based self-care. The data were analyzed using qualitative analysis methods.Ten physiotherapists were interviewed. Combined with findings from literature study, exercises were categorized into four groups: range of motion (mobilization), stabilization, relaxation and pregnancy-related low back pain exercises. The advice was added by strong support from physiotherapists. Fifteen participants who self-reported with acute non-specific low back pain used the web-based self-care for one time, as lab study. Participants expressed the self-care was easy to understand and perform. They also showed interest and inclination to continue using it in real life. The key barrier in using web-based self-care was the lack of supervision from health care providers.Overall, the web-based self-care appeared to be an acceptable online tool for people with acute low back pain to perform exercises independently. The performed exercises were retrieved mainly from physiotherapy clinical treatment. The findings are promising and suggest further study on the feasibility and effectiveness of using the web-based self-care. |
Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
Faculty: | TNW: Science and Technology |
Subject: | 50 technical science in general |
Programme: | Health Sciences MSc (66851) |
Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72388 |
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