Establishing the Feasibility of a Tablet-Based Consent Process with Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This mixed-methods study explored the feasibility and acceptability of using a tablet-based research consent process with adults aged ≥65 years. DESIGN AND METHODS: In the first phase, focus group participants reported on their perceptions of a tablet-based consent process. In the second phase, older adults were randomized to view either a tablet-based or paper-based consent for a mock clinical trial. Measurements included: time to complete, adverse/unexpected events, user-friendliness, immediate comprehension, and retention at a 1-week delay. RESULTS: Focus group participants (N = 15) expressed interest in the novel format, cautioning that peers would need comprehensive orientation to use the technology. In the randomized pilot (N = 20), retention was 100% and all participants completed the protocol without the occurrence of adverse/unexpected events. Although the participants took longer to complete the tablet-based consent than the paper-based version, user-friendliness, immediate comprehension, and retention of the tablet-based consent were similar to the paper-based consent. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggest that a tablet-based consent process is feasible to implement with older adults and acceptable to this population, but we would underscore that efforts to optimize design of tablet-based consent forms for older adults are warranted.

publication date

  • January 9, 2019

Research

keywords

  • Informed Consent
  • User-Computer Interface

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC6326252

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85059798137

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1093/geront/gny045

PubMed ID

  • 29757375

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 59

issue

  • 1