| dc.description.abstract | This research aims to investigate the information patterns of antibiotic treatment using the MIMIC-III database. The study addresses three key Research Questions. RQ 1 examines the patterns of antibiotic treatment by analyzing the utilization and prescription trends of antibiotics within the hospital setting. RQ 2 focuses on understanding the patterns of adverse reactions to antibiotics by analyzing adverse events associated with antibiotic usage in the MIMIC-III database. Lastly, RQ 3 explores the design of a user-friendly interface to facilitate the acquisition and utilization of information on antibiotic treatment for physicians and other users. To address these research questions, the MIMIC-III database, a comprehensive dataset derived from a general hospital, will be utilized. The dataset contains detailed information on patient demographics, medical records, prescriptions, adverse events, and other relevant variables.
A Design Science research study of an application was conducted through five design iterations, resulting in an information platform on antibiotic treatment. A user-centered Design method was also integrated into the project to meet user requirements and ensure approval of the information content and design. The application is designed to serve both users with medical backgrounds and the general public using a web-based platform that can be integrated into various environments, including hospitals, health-promoting organizations, and patient organizations. A high-fidelity prototype has been implemented, where the main functionalities are medical and patient-oriented information that is structured around questions and quizzes. There is also a functionality that brings professional references to the official guidelines provided by the healthcare authorities as well as scientific articles. The development processes relied on design principles, usability testing, including a SUS score, and Nilsen's heuristics to deliver satisfactory solutions. The evaluation gave the SUS of 62,75 from the users and 79,375 from the experts, as well as a Nielsen's average score of 4.1 from the experts.
The analysis of the information patterns using the MIMIC-III database suggests that antibiotics are often used in emergency cases for many indications, while the literature suggests how a lack of antibiotics relates to deaths and complications on an epidemiological scale. There is also ongoing intensive research to understand therapeutic and other dimensions of antibiotic treatment, including resistance to it that can be a consequence of frequent prescriptions. The artifact developed in this project presents one feasible way of informing physicians and the general public about antibiotics in a quick, straightforward, and adaptable manner. | |
