Social Robots Empowering Patients

Social Robots for Enhancing Older Adults' Digital Literacy

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a social robot can effectively support digital-literacy learning among low-income Chinese immigrants, particularly in the context of using the MyChart health portal. The study aims to understand whether robot-guided digital literacy education leads to improved engagement, comprehension, and confidence compared to a standard educational video.

This project aims to develop a social robot that can enhance digital literacy of low-income Chinese immigrants in the Chicago area to enhance their health literacy and health management skills.

As healthcare systems are increasingly becoming digitalized (e.g., patient portals and digital technologies to facilitate appointment scheduling, health tracking, medication adherence, and billing), engagement with technology has become increasingly important in healthcare, and it is important for patients to acquire digital literacy to effectively engage with digital health tools to access healthcare. Yet, many people, especially those who also experience a language barrier, experience challenges in navigating these digital health technologies to access appropriate care. Specifically, low-income Chinese immigrants experience barriers in accessing health information due to their low digital literacy, since most hospitals/clinics use digitized tools (e.g., MyChart health portal) to inform patients about their health records and to communicate with patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: 18 years or older
• Race: Self-identified as Chinese
• Zip codes: Reside in one of the eight Chicago zip codes corresponding to Chinatown's geographical boundaries
• Language: Speak Cantonese, Mandarin, or Taishanese fluently

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior experience using the MyChart mobile app.
• Inability to communicate in Mandarin, Cantonese, or Taishanese, sufficiently to complete consent or study tasks.