Social robots and therapeutic adherence: A new challenge in pediatric asthma?

Giuliana Ferrante; Gianpaolo Vitale; Amelia Licari; Laura Montalbano; Giovanni Pilato; Ignazio Infantino; Agnese Augello; Stefania La Grutta

doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2020.11.001

Social robots and therapeutic adherence: A new challenge in pediatric asthma?

Paediatr Respir Rev. 2021 Dec:40:46-51. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2020.11.001. Epub 2020 Dec 5.

Authors

Giuliana Ferrante¹, Gianpaolo Vitale², Amelia Licari³, Laura Montalbano⁴, Giovanni Pilato², Ignazio Infantino², Agnese Augello², Stefania La Grutta⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
² Institute for High Performance Computing and Networking, National Research Council of Italy, Rome, Italy.
³ Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: amelia.licari@unipv.it.
⁴ Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy, Palermo, Italy.

PMID: 33386280
DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2020.11.001

Abstract

Social Robots are used in different contexts and, in healthcare, they are better known as Socially Assistive Robots. In the context of asthma, the use of Socially Assistive Robots has the potential to increase motivation and engagement to treatment. Other positive roles proposed for Socially Assistive Robots are to provide education, training regarding treatments, and feedback to patients. This review evaluates emerging interventions for improving treatment adherence in pediatric asthma, focusing on the possible future role of social robots in the clinical practice.

Keywords: Human-Robot interaction; Pediatric asthma; Social Assistive Robots; Therapeutic adherence.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Asthma* / drug therapy
Child
Humans
Robotics*
Social Interaction
Treatment Adherence and Compliance