Purpose
As population is ageing and declining, organizing health and care services faces many challenges. Health and welfare technology upholds vast expectations in resolving those challenges. Little is however known about expectations, needs and experiences of different people as health and welfare technology users. Such knowledge is critical for decision making.
The project constructs knowledge with health and welfare technology users and, based on that, produces transition pathways for policymakers and other stakeholders.
Project description
UPSCALE brings together four research partners: Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT (Finland) as the coordinator, Utrecht University (The Netherlands), Sophiahemmet University (Sweden) and University of Agder (Norway). The three-year project started on 1 May 2024.
UPSCALE investigates the needs of various health and welfare technology users, such as older adults, their interaction with the health and care service structure, and how health and welfare technology -related services could be developed or built on the user-centred understanding.
User data are gathered via interdisciplinary methods spanning from interviews and participatory knowledge co-creation to a broad international survey, and both from the society level and country-specific case studies. The forerunning European survey’s results are expected to create value for both the civil society, public sector, and industry. UPSCALE’s findings will be formalized into a set of policy briefs.
Centre for e-health at the University of Agder (UiA), leads UPSCALE’s work in the examination of the current understanding of users of health and welfare technology as part of transitions. The centre is bringing its expertise in knowledge in participatory methods, user-driven innovations, communication and social inclusion to UPSCALE.