Older adults' perceptions and use of web-based multimedia health tutorials

A usability study of three Web-based multimedia health tutorials - MedlinePlus Surgery Videos, MedlinePlus Interactive Tutorials, and Surgery Simulation (pseudo name) by an U.S. non-profit organization - with 10 older adults was conducted in February-March of 2010. The primary research questions of the study were: 1) How senior-friendly are these three Web-based multimedia health tutorials? And 2) What are older adults' perceptions and use of multimedia features of Web-based health tutorials? Data were collected from interviews, surveys, and observation in three consecutive testing sessions. Three key themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Interactivity (e.g., built-in hands-on practice, quiz) can be useful but needs to be the right type (not too simple, not too complicated) and the right amount (not too little, not too much) for the right audience; 2) segmenting the information to show "the big picture," including showing how a specific body part is in relation to the whole human body, where the user is located within the broader framework of the tutorial, and providing pre- and post-surgery information, is important for the user to understand and follow the tutorial; and 3) "cartoonish" surgery tutorial has advantages over a "real" one. Overall, Interactive Tutorial was the most popular and easiest to use, followed by Surgery Simulation. Surgery Video, which has little interactivity, shows no segments or the "big picture," and presents the "real" surgery, was the least popular and most difficult to use. These findings have implications for understanding 1) the opportunities and challenges involved in developing Web-based multimedia health tutorials for older adults and 2) design and training interventions that may help facilitate older adults' adoption and use of Web-based multimedia tutorials.