FWF Research Group on Human-Centered Interactive Adaptive Visual Approaches in High-Quality Health Information

1. Introduction

Consumer Health Information Systems generally are indispensable in healthcare. User-centered evidence-based medical information for patients positively influences therapy success, behavior, and cause-effect comprehension. Improved health literacy allows patients to accept medical advice and share decision-making. It helps to prevent misconceptions, mitigate cognitive biases, and improves doctor-patient communication.

Today, CHIS exist from posters and brochures to popular science publications and media reports. Also, (self-)curated medical information is abundant on the Internet in different forms, e.g., discussions, question-answering, and commercially. Information is generally provided statically, i.e., the same medical content is presented to everyone. However, patients vary regarding previous knowledge and information needs, e.g., depending on gender, age, personality, perception, etc.

2. Main Research Question and Objective

Our main research question and objective in this project is: How can evidence-based medical knowledge, cognitive-psychological mechanisms, and novel interactive data visualizations be combined to form adaptive and interactive consumer health information systems that take account of individual health information needs, and increase health literacy by providing a reliable source of medical knowledge?

3. Research Methodology

Based on an analysis of existing CHIS, cognitive foundations, and visualizations of medical and consumer data, we research innovative concepts for advanced interactive, adaptive, personalized and visual CHIS (called A+CHIS).

4. Innovative Concepts for A+CHIS

We contribute to evidence-based medical information processing, user adaption, interactive visual information displays, and cognitive psychology. Our approaches aim to increase the efficiency of health information and are capable to improve the general medical system. Improved health literacy contributes to the Austrian Health Targets goals, developed by the Austrian Council of Ministers and the Federal Health Commission.

5. Testbed Implementation and Evaluation

We implement the new concepts in a testbed system, and evaluate them in stationary and mobile environments for effectiveness and efficiency.

6. Cutting-Edge Research Contribution

The cutting-edge research of our project lies in introducing multi-dimensional adaptivity to the information provision for health information consumer, aiming at full understanding of the meaning of the provided medical content.

7. Collaborating Institutes and Partners

The Institute of Computer Graphics and Knowledge Visualization (TU Graz, Coordinator), the Institute of General Practice and Evidence-based Health Services Research (Medical University of Graz), and the Institute of Psychology (University of Graz) cooperate in this FWF Research Group, together with a renowned advisory board and international collaboration partners.

Contact Us

Graz University of Technology
Institute of Computer Graphics and Knowledge Visualization (Coordinator)
8010 Graz
Austria

Email: apchis-project@cgv.tugraz.at

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