UNASSIGNED: Existing measurements of the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among practitioners in disability services often treat ICT adoption as a monolithic concept, overlooking its multifaceted nature within the disability field. This study introduces a stepped, inclusive approach to capturing this complexity, elucidating disparities in the utilization of various ICT dimensions, the present vs. anticipated use, and variations among different clinical-demographic groups.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hong Kong, gathering valid data from 324 practitioners spanning diverse disciplines and disability services.
UNASSIGNED: Data analysis produced a three-factor model categorizing ICT tools into (1) information and communication tools, (2) screening and monitoring tools, and (3) treatment and rehabilitation tools. The first category was identified as the predominant ICT utilized currently, with significant projected growth in the latter two categories\' usage. Variances in current ICT adoption were influenced by practitioners\' roles, clientele, positions, affiliating agencies, and educational attainments.
UNASSIGNED: This research provides a deeper understanding of the key dimensions of ICT adoption within disability services. It underscores the importance of devising specific and customized strategies for the effective integration of ICTs, ensuring a more tailored approach to meeting the unique demands of the disability field.
Future studies focusing on information and communication technologies (ICTs) adoption or relevant concepts, such as e-health and telerehabilitation may consider employing similar methodological approaches accustomed to one’s local context.Future attention and investment in ICT adoption in disability services should focus more on domains directly relevant to clinical and rehabilitation practice, tailoring strategies to the specific needs of the field.There exists an urgent imperative to enhance ICT training, especially for psychosocial and medical professionals, while also increasing investments in non-governmental organizations.Such support needs to be gender- and age-inclusive, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of practitioners at all organizational levels.

BACKGROUND: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is unpredictable and can severely impair patients\' quality of life. Patients with CSU need a convenient, user-friendly platform to complete patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) on their mobile devices. CRUSE® , the Chronic Urticaria Self Evaluation app, aims to address this unmet need.
METHODS: CRUSE® was developed by an international steering committee of urticaria specialists. Priorities for the app based on recent findings in CSU were defined to allow patients to track and record their symptoms and medication use over time and send photographs. The CRUSE® app collects patient data such as age, sex, disease onset, triggers, medication, and CSU characteristics that can be sent securely to physicians, providing real-time insights. Additionally, CRUSE® contains PROMs to assess disease activity and control, which are individualised to patient profiles and clinical manifestations.
RESULTS: CRUSE® was launched in Germany in March 2022 and is now available for free in 17 countries. It is adapted to the local language and displays a country-specific list of available urticaria medications. English and Ukrainian versions are available worldwide. From July 2022 to June 2023, 25,710 observations were documented by 2540 users; 72.7% were females, with a mean age of 39.6 years. At baseline, 93.7% and 51.3% of users had wheals and angioedema, respectively. Second-generation antihistamines were used in 74.0% of days.
CONCLUSIONS: The initial data from CRUSE® show the wide use and utility of effectively tracking patients\' disease activity and control, paving the way for personalised CSU management.

BACKGROUND: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled \"International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce\" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools.
METHODS: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week \"2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event\" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event\'s achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events.