E-health technologies to increase physical activity in patients with chronic diseases: sharing international experience

We would like to invite Dr. Aurel Zelko to visit our research group at Linköping University. Dr.

Zelko is a recognised researcher from the University of Pavol Jozef Safarik, Slovakia, and a PhD candidate at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, specialising in behavioural interventions for patients with chronic diseases.

He has extensive experience in designing and conducting intra- and inter-therapeutic exercise interventions in cardiovascular, oncology, and nephrology patients.

He is also an inventor of digital technology solutions for patients´ exergaming and self-management, experienced in technologic development, protection of intellectual properties, and qualitative research in healthcare.

We expect to benefit from his knowledge and experience in qualitative analysis of e-Health users´ perceptions, and feasibility and effectiveness analyses of the e-Health intervention to improve patients´ physical activity.During his stay, he will work with prof Jaarsma and contribute to researc in the area of E-health group for four months.

The E-health research group connecting more than 50 experts from medical, behavioural, technical and computational sciences. Dr.

Zelko will work on three projects; two aimed at the qualitative analysis of individuals´ perceptions regarding the use of e-Health and one aimed at the feasibility and effectiveness analyses of e-Health intervention in physical activity promotion.The deliverables that we expected from the Dr.

Zelko research visit include:- Publication on perceived benefits, risks and barriers of exergaming interventions in patients with chronic diseases, - Data collection regarding perceived benefits, risks and barriers of e-Health use in patients with chronic diseases, - Active participation in research activities of the Strategic research area e-Health,- Setting up a future research cooperation strategy,- Active participation in lectures and workshops to share knowledge, experiences and skills.