Skill clusters of ability to manage everyday technology among people with and without cognitive impairment, dementia and acquired brain injury

Abstract

Background: In order to develop supporting interventions for people demonstrating problems ET use, a detailed level of description of strengths and deficits is needed.

Aims: To explore clusters of specific performance skill required when using ET, and to evaluate if and in what way such clusters are associated with age, gender, diagnosis, and types of ETs managed.

Materials and methods: A secondary analysis of 661 data records from 203 heterogeneous samples of participants using the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META) was used. Ward’s method and a hierarchical tree cluster analysis were used to determine and define the skill clusters.

Results: Four distinct clusters of performance skill item profiles were found, across the 661 data records. These were then, based on each individuals’ cluster profiles in managing ET, categorized into two groups. The two groups were associated with, diagnosis and type of ETs managed.

Conclusions and significance: The findings support a more dyadic person-ET approach in evaluation of ET management. The information from the skill clusters can be used to develop targeted intervention guides for occupational therapy and healthcare.

Keywords:

• MCI
• Dementia
• IADL

Acknowledgements

The authors first of all want to thank the participants who generously demonstrated their management of everyday technology for us. The authors are grateful to registered OTs Ann-Charlotte Kassberg, Monica Pantzar and Sofia Starkhammar, who collected data and administered parts of this research as well to the registered OTs Kristina Johansson, Anita Levén, Jenny Rasmussen Tjernlund, Susanne Andersson, Lizette Mårtensson, and Maria Carlsson for data collection. The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare, the Promobilia Foundation and the regional agreement on medical training and clinical research (ALF) between the Stockholm County Council and the Karolinska Institutet.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.