Search:
Sort by:		Search Reset

Prof. Sosnin conducts research in human-computer interaction to streamline the healthcare industry

Why Healthcare and Education Create a Holistic Approach to Adolescent Health: Hear From Expert Prof. Petr Sosnin

By Sharlene Oong on May 8, 2019

Email Updates RSS

As the healthcare system continues to face ever-evolving issues, with the rise in chronic illnesses among the youth population, as well as the psychological and social impact that comes along with it, researchers have turned to conducting studies in human-computer interaction as a possible solution. Analyzing human-computer interaction will fully inform administrators, medical professionals, and consultants on the functionality of healthcare information systems and medical technologies, to produce effective solutions in the healthcare industry. Among the industry leading experts striving to make a difference in healthcare, is Prof. Petr Sosnin, from Ulyanovsk State Technical University, and author of the IGI Global publication, Experience-Based Human-Computer Interactions: Emerging Research and Opportunities. Prof. Sosnin conducts research in human-computer interaction, with the goal improve healthcare systems for different communities, and shares his research pursuit in an IGI Global interview.

What inspired you to pursue activities in your research area?

At approximately 19 years old, I was hired at the Montreal Children’s hospital as a research assistant to investigate the quality of life of children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). I interviewed families of children with IBD and their stories of struggle with the school system, and in their daily lives, made me realize that there was a general lack of awareness and stigma regarding IBD among the general public. It was this experience of working with these families and hearing their stories of resilience that changed the course of my life forever. I felt the need to honor their request by sharing their stories with the public, sensitize the world to the effects of this disease and inform school staff about the necessary accommodations, which would be a necessity for them and their families.

Why are your respective areas of research important to the field at large?

There is a large gap between heath and education. There are a variety of reasons for this gap, but the challenge lies in the fact that these two fields communicate differently. They use different vocabularies and have differing approaches to working with their clientele. However, I feel that it is time to bridge this gap. The two fields need to understand that if they unite and work collaboratively, that their clients will gain optimal health and well being. When an individual is healthy, they are able to pursue their education successfully. There needs to be a push towards a holistic approach, which would value the contributions made by both the institutions of health and education. In other words, these two fields should be interrelated, rather than distinctly separate. By doing so, this innovative way of seeing health and education has far-reaching implications, in terms of re-imagining how clinicians and educators see, empower, and work with their clientele as whole persons, rather than as separate parts.

In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of your research to its community of users?

I do believe that there have been many benefits of this research to the community of users, including but not limited to:

Academics: My publication proved that it is possible for the two fields (Health and Education) to collaborate successfully, and that the topic of children’s health and school achievement remains a global concern.

Families: The book offered an avenue for validating families’ experiences by dedicating themes focused solely on their concerns and creating a safe platform, to discuss the topics of chronic illness and education on an international level.

Medical Professionals and Experts: An outcome of this book is a continuation of highlighting the importance of conducting research pertaining to the fields of health and education. Currently, I am one of the clinical investigators from a research team at the Children’s Ottawa Hospital in Canada, that is proposing a Canadian pilot study on the experiences of children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and their school experiences.

What are the future directions of your research areas?

Currently, a significant direction of my research is in the topic of youth and mental health, and this link to education. This is another area that has been experiencing a lack of research, yet it is so important because youth that have chronic illnesses are often left to cope with the psychological and social impact brought on by their diseases. In order to support youths and their families through these difficulties, particularly within the school context, more research is needed to understand from the youths’ and their families’ perspectives including what their experiences are, and what services that need to be established to support their mental health needs. To investigate these issues, I am one of many researchers involved in a large collaborative Pan-Canadian study called ACCESS Open Minds, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Graham Boeckh Foundation.

My interest in examining issues of youth and mental health are mainly focused on indigenous student populations in Canada, because this population has largely been invisible in the academic literature, as it pertains to conducting research from their perspectives and using their indigenous methodological approaches.

Other future directions would include, creating strategies to assist students and their teachers to establish meaningful relationships that empower both parties.

What are some other evolving research trends you have observed in your industry/field over the past several months and what would you say are some of the innovative research directions you foresee in the future? How do you feel your publication sets the pace for these innovations?

To answer these questions, I would consider that the four following subjects are some of the innovative directions and trends that I foresee my specific area of research:

Practice-Based Research: This focuses on implementing strategies and techniques that have evidence emanating from research studies. I find that the field of education is embracing this approach more frequently and using research outcomes as key sources of evidence to support decisions being made by administrators as to what programs, curriculums and projects should be implemented in schools.

Holistic approaches: Both the field of health and education are leaning further towards using this; the way their clientele is perceived and treated.

Theories on family systems and uses in therapeutic practices.

Additionally, further attention is being devoted at the government, health, and educational levels to the concerns regarding indigenous communities’ mental health and education.

What has your experience been like publishing with IGI Global?

I embarked on this journey of producing a book because I had something that I believed was important to share on a global level. I felt that the stories of these families needed an international platform in which they could communicate their experiences. I presented IGI Global with a unique undertaking that involved a book of 24 international researchers from diverse health and education fields. IGI Global understood my vision and grasped the relevance of this work from the very beginning. From start to finish, I was supported throughout the publication process and encouraged by knowledgeable and friendly staff. In creating this book, I forged a positive collaborative relationship with IGI Global that has continued long after the book’s publication, which I appreciate greatly. IGI Global and I share a passion for producing and disseminating innovative and cutting-edge research. I can truly say that my experience publishing with IGI Global was, and continues to be, a positive partnership.

We would like to thank Prof. Sosnin for sharing his research insights on human-computer interaction. We hope the discussion will promote further conversations on the topic. Be sure to view his publication, Experience-Based Human-Computer Interactions: Emerging Research and Opportunities, and recommend to your librarian.

Prof. Sosnin's research is available through IGI Global’s world-renowned InfoSci^®-Books, a database of 5,300+ reference books with over 100,000 full-text chapters focusing on emerging research. With an annual subscription price offered as low as US$ 9,450, this database hosts key features such as full-text PDF and HTML format, no DRM, unlimited simultaneous users, and no embargo of content (research is available months in advance of the print release). This comprehensive collection spans 11 core subject areas, including business and management, computer science, education, engineering, social sciences and humanities, and more.

InfoSci-Books

InfoSci^®-Journals

Open Access (OA) Fee Waiver (Offset Model) Initiative

Purchase or recommend this database to your institution’s librarian.

Find below a sample of related titles on medicine and healthcare which are also featured in IGI Global’s award-winning InfoSci-Books database and are available for purchase in print and electronic format. Be sure to recommend these titles to your librarian to ensure your institution can acquire the most emerging research. Additionally, for researchers, all of the chapters featured in these publications are available for purchase through IGI Global’s OnDemand feature for as low as US$ 30.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of IGI Global.

Newsroom Contact
Caroline Campbell
Marketing Manager
ccampbell@igi-global.com
(717) 533-8845, ext. 144
www.igi-global.com/

*The Open Access (OA) article processing charges will be waived after the student, faculty, or staff’s paper has been vetted and accepted into an IGI Global journal.

Browse for more posts in:

No comments Comments

Be the first to comment!