Abstract
This article reports a health planner’s experience in using program planning software and the contextual factors that influenced her perceptions. The software examined (EMPOWER) is designed to support program planning for prevention of breast cancer through mammography screening. Use by a health professional in an urban hospital was examined through a case study approach. The user was interviewed at 3, 6, and 12 months following initial use. Transcripts were coded using Roger’s characteristics of an innovation as a framework for categorizing the user’s perceptions. Contextual factors identified as important in influencing her perceptions were open-coded and themes identified. The user referred to three contextual factors in describing characteristics of the innovation: implementation factors, user background, and work and community environment. The successful dissemination of software will depend not only on characteristics of the innovation, but also on situational circumstances that must be changed by, or accommodated in the technology.
Résumé
Cet article rend compte de l’expérience d’une planificatrice en santé qui a utilisé un logiciel de planification de programmes, et des facteurs contextuels qui ont influencé sa perception. EMPOWER, le logiciel en question, est conçu pour aider à planifier des programmes de prévention du cancer du sein par dépistage mammographique. On a fait une étude de cas pour examiner son utilisation par une professionnelle de la santé dans un hôpital urbain. On a interviewé l’utilisatrice à des intervalles de 3, 6 et 12 mois après le début de son utilisation. On s’est servi des cinq caractéristiques d’innovation de Roger comme cadre pour coder les perceptions de l’utilisatrice. Les facteurs contextuels considérés comme ayant une importante influence sur ses perceptions ont été codés et des thèmes identifiés. L’utilisatrice a fait référence à trois facteurs contextuels pour décrire les caractéristiques d’innovation: conditions de mise en oeuvre, antécédents de l’utilisatrice et environnement au travail et au sein de la communauté. L’adoption du logiciel va non seulement dépendre de ses caractéristiques d’innovation mais aussi des conditions qui doivent être modifiées ou prises en compte par la technologie.
Footnotes
This study was funded by the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
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