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Website design attributes for retrieving health information by older adults: an application of architectural criteria

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Abstract

The objectives of this research were to identify design attributes to develop easy-to-use websites for older adults. Forty-one males and 58 females (age range 58–90) were asked to retrieve information on a health-related topic from the NHS Direct and Medicdirect websites, and were asked to fill in a website evaluation questionnaire. An exploratory factor analysis of data identified navigation/search usability, link usability, usefulness and colour as important dimensions of a senior-friendly website. A two-stage, three-component regression model with these dimensions as predictor variables and the satisfaction level in using a website as the dependent variable has been proposed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support given by the Health Foundation, London, United Kingdom, to carry out this research. Thanks are due to Ms M. Langford and Mr P. Crawford from the Department of Ophthalmology, Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, UK for their assistance in implementing the appropriate standards and procedures for the visual function testing. The authors wish to thank the UK Royal National Institute of the Blind for the supply of the Tiresias font used in the questionnaire. The authors would also like to thank Professor C. Stephanidis for valuable suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Gerontology, University of Birmingham, Hayward Building, Selly Oak Hospital, Raddlebarn Road, Birmingham, B29 6JD, UK

    Laxman Nayak & Lee Priest

  2. HLASS, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, Mid-Glamorgan, CF37 1DL, UK

    Ian Stuart-Hamilton

  3. Statistical Advisory Service, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Allan White

Authors
  1. Laxman Nayak
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  2. Lee Priest
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  3. Ian Stuart-Hamilton
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  4. Allan White
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Correspondence to Laxman Nayak.

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Nayak, L., Priest, L., Stuart-Hamilton, I. et al. Website design attributes for retrieving health information by older adults: an application of architectural criteria. Univ Access Inf Soc 5, 170–179 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-006-0029-9

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