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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neurorehabilitation
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1393261
This article is part of the Research Topic Pathophysiology, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Geriatric Population View all 15 articles

Enhancing ALS Disease Management: Exploring Integrated User Value through Online Communities Evidence

Provisionally accepted
Jan Hruška Jan Hruška *Pavel Bachmann Pavel Bachmann Samuel Amponsah Odei Samuel Amponsah Odei
  • University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This paper explores the value creation associated with assistive technology (AT) usage among individuals affected by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) through a newly developed concept of integrated user value (IUV).Methodologically, the study utilizes a systematic search approach to identify relevant opinions using a list of keywords related to AT used in ALS context. Data was gathered from Facebook online support groups comprising people with ALS and their caregivers. Posts published in the support groups were then categorised into five main aspects of IUV, such as quality, user experience, cost-effectiveness, safety, and accessibility. An in-depth content analysis was utilised to gain insights into IUV creation in individual IUV aspects and according to AT typology. The paper discusses the implications of IUV aspects for people with ALS' quality of life and provides recommendations. Moreover, the findings underscore the importance of a holistic approach to AT development and support.

    Keywords: Assistive Technology, ALS, integrated user value, Disease Management, Support groups, online community

    Received: 27 Mar 2024; Accepted: 30 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Hruška, Bachmann and Odei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jan Hruška, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.