Design Requirements for a Digital Aid to Support Adults With Mild Learning Disabilities During Clinical Consultations: Qualitative Study With Experts.
Ryan Colin Gibson, Matt-Mouley Bouamrane, Mark Dunlop
PMID 30829575WHAT IT FOUND
Experts said adults with mild learning disabilities need closed, one-at-a-time questions, avoiding jargon.
They wanted symptoms shown by picture, text, and speech, with no more than four options, and clear skip and return buttons.
Key findings
01Experts said adults with mild learning disabilities needed short, closed questions that focus on one idea and simple language that avoids medical jargon.
02Experts said symptoms should be conveyed through pictures, text, and speech, and that the number of options displayed should be limited to a maximum of 4.
03In the probe test, all 4 experts failed to select the skip button when required, saying its purpose was unclear.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
No adults with mild learning disabilities were interviewed or tested the probe, so the requirements are expert views rather than patient-reported outcomes. Only 2 general practitioners were included, and the authors state data saturation for this group was not reached. The study did not test communication, diagnosis, consultation time, or health outcomes. The images in the probe were placeholders, so their accessibility for patients was not established. The usability test involved only 4 experts, and one key navigation feature failed because its purpose was unclear.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. No funding source is stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that a tablet app improves communication, diagnosis, or consultation time for adults with mild learning disabilities. The study reports expert requirements and a probe tested by 4 experts, not adults with mild learning disabilities or patient outcomes.