Changes in Everyday and Digital Health Technology Use Among Seniors in Declining Health.

BackgroundDespite the benefits of digital health technology use, older adults with cancer (ie, aged 65 years) have reported challenges to technology adoption. However, there has been a lack of a good understanding of their digital health technology use patterns and the associated influential factors in the past few years.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the trends in and factors associated with digital health technology use among older adults with cancer.MethodsThe National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data set is a national longitudinal cohort study with annual survey waves of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older. Participants were community-dwelling older adults who self-reported previous or current cancer diagnoses in each round. The study sample size of each round ranged from 1996 (2015) to 1131 (2021). Digital health technology use was defined as using the internet or online in the last month to order or refill prescriptions, contact medical providers, handle Medicare or other insurance matters, or get information about their health conditions. The association of sociodemographics, clinical factors (self-rated health, chronic conditions, difficulties in activities of daily living, dementia, anxiety, and depression), and physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery and grip strength) with digital health technology use was examined using design-based logistic regression. All statistical analyses accounted for the complex sample design.ResultsThe prevalence of any digital health technology use increased from 36% in 2015 to 45% in 2019. In 2020-2021, which was amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it ranged from 51% to 52%. In terms of each digital health technology use behavior, in 2015, overall, 28% of older cancer survivors used digital health technology to obtain health information, followed by contacting clinicians (19%), filling prescriptions (14%), and handling insurance (11%). Greater use of digital health technology was associated with younger age, being White, having a college or higher education, having a higher income, having more comorbidities, nondementia, and having a higher gait speed.ConclusionsDigital health technology use in older adults with cancer has gradually increased, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, socioeconomic and racial disparities have remained in older cancer survivors. Additionally, older adults with cancer may have some unique features associated with digital health technology use; for example, their use of digital health may be increased by their comorbidities (ie, health care needs) and reduced by their frailty.

BackgroundSexual minority youth, particularly sexual minority youth of color, report elevated mental health challenges and persistent barriers to care. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these disparities and catalyzed a shift toward digital health and digital mental health services. This rapid transition has made it challenging to understand digital exclusion and the digital divide.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study identified the prevalence of digital health and digital mental health service use among US adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined heterogeneity by sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and their intersection.MethodsNationally representative data were obtained from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (N=7705). Weighted distributions of digital health and digital mental health use were calculated, and modified Poisson regression models estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) by sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and their intersection.ResultsAcross the sample, digital health and digital mental health use were 25.8% and 8.5%, respectively. (All percentages reported are weighted estimates.) Digital mental health use was 5.6% among heterosexual participants and 18.1% among all sexual minority youth. In adjusted models, sexual minority subgroups had higher prevalence of digital mental health use than heterosexual peers (lesbian, gay, and bisexual [LGB]: aPR 2.60; sexually diverse: aPR 2.41; all P≤.05). This pattern held among White, Black or African American, and multiracial LGB participants. Digital mental health use was 10.2% among White participants and ranged from 4.8% to 15% among racially or ethnically minoritized participants. Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian or Pacific Islander participants had lower prevalence of digital mental health use than White peers overall (Black or African American: aPR 0.70; Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.55; Asian or Pacific Islander: aPR 0.48; all P≤.05) and among sexual minority youth (Black or African American: aPR 0.60; Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.35; Asian or Pacific Islander: aPR 0.23; all P≤.05). Racial and ethnic disparities in digital mental health use were pronounced among LGB (Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.52; P≤.05) and sexually diverse participants (Black or African American: aPR 0.36; Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.17; Asian or Pacific Islander: aPR 0.10; all P≤.05), but not heterosexual participants. Digital health use did not differ by sexual orientation. However, Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino participants had lower prevalence of digital health use than White peers (28.8%) overall (Black or African American: aPR 0.76; Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.78; all P≤.05) and among heterosexual (Black or African American: aPR 0.73; Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.80; all P≤.05) and sexual minority youth participants (Hispanic or Latino: aPR 0.75).ConclusionsDigital platforms offer promise for expanding access to mental health care among sexual minority youth, but persistent inequities must be addressed. Cocreation with lived-experience experts may be critical to ensure digital services are trusted, inclusive, and accessible for all youth.

Digital technologies have become more important in the health care sector in the past decades. This transition from conventional to digital health care has been accelerated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which poses the risk of creating a "digital divide," inadvertently placing those who are older, economically disadvantaged, and have a lower level of education at a disadvantage. This study focuses on the influence of socioeconomic factors on the adoption of digital health technology in the Frisian population and how this relation is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019 and 2020, a panel study was conducted on digital health in the Frisian population in the Netherlands. In the survey, the use of digital health technology was operationalized in a broad sense, going beyond the care context by also including preventative health-promoting solutions generally available on the consumer market, such as wearables and lifestyle apps. First, to assess the influence of socioeconomic factors on the total use of digital health apps, a generalized linear model was fitted with use of digital health app as the dependent variable and socioeconomic factors as between-subject factors on the 2019 data. Second, to analyze whether the use of separate health apps increased from 2019 to 2020, we conducted chi-square tests on different digital health app types. Third, to examine the influence of COVID-19 on the use of digital health apps, a generalized linear mixed model was fitted with the use of digital health apps as the dependent variable, COVID-19 as the within-subject variable, and socioeconomic factors as between-subject factors. The results indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health technology use was higher in women, younger people, and those who are well educated and economically more privileged. Moreover, the percentage of people who reported using digital health technology rose from 70% (1580/2258) to 82.5% (1812/2197) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase was significant for all separate types of digital health technology (all P<.001). In addition, we found the interaction effects of COVID-19 with age and education attainment, indicating that the lower total use among older people and people with lower education attainment became slightly less apparent from 2019 to 2020. These findings on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digital divide indicated that the use of all types of digital health apps increased and that older individuals and people with a lower level of education caught up a little during COVID-19. Future research should gain more insight into this effect and examine whether it persists beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, future endeavors should focus on vulnerable groups, ensuring they receive adequate attention to guarantee access to health care, preventative health-promoting solutions, and social services.

Designing digital health applications for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Artificial intelligence and other digital health technologies may optimize nurses' work. Therefore, we aimed to examine the roles of nurses in facilitating the adoption of digital health technologies and identify opportunities for these technologies to reduce burnout. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study focused on nurses' use of digital health and artificial intelligence technology with nursing informaticists. Data collection was guided by the implementation science framework, Non-Adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability. Participants were recruited electronically through professional nursing informatics organizations. Survey data were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics. Fifty-two participants from across the United States completed the survey. Telehealth (73%), patient portals (71%), and medical-grade devices (69%) were most frequently used, whereas artificial intelligence was frequently used by only 38%. Staffing shortages (88%), low staff retention (81%), and inadequate support when adopting new technologies (52%) were among the key drivers of nursing burnout. Participants endorsed most nursing tasks as being supported by digital health, especially patient assessment and evaluating outcomes, and especially artificial intelligence. Engaging nurses early in the process of developing and deploying digital health, especially artificial intelligence, may help address burnout by producing more nursing-centered technologies and providing technology-enabled nursing work alternatives to bedside care.

BackgroundDigital health literacy is a key factor in enabling users to navigate in an increasingly digitalized health care system. Low levels of digital health literacy are associated with higher age, low education, and income, as well as low functional health literacy. Around 6.2 million adults living in Germany have low reading and writing skills. Due to their low literacy, this group is often underrepresented in research studies and therefore little is known about their digital health literacy and use of digital health tools.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to assess digital health literacy in adults with low reading and writing skills and to explore which digital health tools they use in daily life.MethodsAn interviewer-administered survey and focus groups were conducted with adult residents of Bremen, Germany, who were aged 18‐64 years and had low reading and writing skills. In addition, a stakeholder workshop was held to derive recommendations on how digital health literacy could be improved. The survey questionnaire included 21 items addressing the use of digital health technologies and digital health literacy (eHealth Literacy Scale). Focus group participants completed several tasks on web-based health information and then discussed their experiences. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression. Qualitative content analysis was applied to analyze the focus group data and the written documentation of the stakeholder workshop.ResultsSurvey participants (n=96) were on average 43 (SD 10.7) years old, 72% (69/96) were female, and 92% (88/96) were not born in Germany. Participants reported mainly using information-related digital health technologies such as health apps (40/96, 42%), health websites (30/96, 31%), or activity trackers (27/96, 28%). The mean digital health literacy score was 22 (SD 8) points, with 35% (34/96) of participants classified as having a low digital health literacy (score between 8-19/40 points). Digital health technology use was associated with higher digital health literacy. For participants in the 5 focus groups (total n=39; mean age 43, SD 12.6 years; n=34, 87% female), limited technical skills and language problems were the most important challenges. Furthermore, focus group participants reported that they favor videos when searching for web-based health information and prefer to seek support from family members or local organizations for health issues. Stakeholders (n=15) recommended that health websites should be available in multiple languages, contain simple and easy-to-read language, and use images, symbols, and videos.ConclusionsWhile adults with low reading and writing skills use digital health technologies, many find it challenging to search for health information on the internet due to lacking technical skills and language problems. To ensure that adults with low reading and writing skills are not further left behind, future research should focus on developing tailored interventions to promote digital health literacy.

The Council for Cardiology Practice of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in collaboration with the Digital Health Committee (DHC), undertook an electronic survey with 15 question multiple-choice questionnaire sent to 32 461 members of the ESC with the aim to assess the knowledge and usage of digital health (DH) technologies (DHTs) by office-based cardiologists. Of 559 respondents, 57% graded their knowledge about DH as ‘fair’ and three quarters identified the correct definition of DH. Clinical information systems, mHealth Apps, and telemedicine were the most frequently used DHTs, but 41% of respondents had concerns about their ethical and data transparency. Lack of legal clarity, low patient motivation, limited DH literacy, and poor access to DH were perceived as the main barriers to the adoption of DH. Seventy percent of the respondents were aware of the DH pages on the ESC website and 76% of the educational sessions in the DH area during the ESC Congress 2019. Only 16% had not read articles on DH. Eight-eight percent of responders declared that they would ‘probably’ or definitely attend future educational initiatives on DHT.

Digital Technology Use in US Community-Dwelling Seniors With and Without Homebound Status

Digital technology has become integral to older adults’ lives, supporting healthcare, social, and leisure needs. While the cognitive benefits of technology use have been documented in recent research, existing studies are limited by cross-sectional designs, narrow measures of technology engagement (e.g., single domains like computer use), and small sample sizes. Furthermore, no prior research has explored how this relationship varies between older adults with and without activity limitations. Leveraging 12 years of longitudinal data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; n = 7,027), this study investigates associations between three domains of technology use—general device use (e.g., smartphones), everyday technology use (e.g., emailing, online shopping), and digital health technology use (e.g., telehealth)—and dementia incidence among community-dwelling older adults. Analyses adjust for selection bias using inverse probability weighting and stratify by three activity limitation categories (mobility limitations, self-care limitations, household limitations). Weighted mixed effects logit model results indicate that everyday technology use related to routine activities (i.e., emailing/texting, online shopping) is associated with an approximately 80% lower odds of dementia, compared to 48% and 64% respectively for using any technology devices and any digital health technology. Stratified model results demonstrate significantly greater marginal effects for older adults with activity limitations, suggesting that they may glean more cognitive health benefits from technology use than their limitation-free counterparts. These findings underscore digital technology’s potential as a scalable, modifiable intervention to reduce dementia risk, particularly for vulnerable populations with disabilities.

Technology, especially digital health technology, has been increasingly used to deliver healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the rapid adoption of medical technology. However, how many and how older people currently use technology remain unknown. Using the cross-sectional data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study collected in 2022, we examined the prevalence, characteristics, and associated factors of technology use (including technology device use, everyday/digital health technology use) among 5,512 community Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older with analytical sample weights and design-based logistic regression models. Results showed that over 1.3 million (2.7%) older people did not use any information and communication technology devices (i.e., computers, cell phones, and tablets). The weighted prevalence of everyday technology use and digital health technology use were 83.3% (95% CI, 82.1%-84.5%) and 52.1% (95% CI, 49.5%-54.7%), respectively. Compared to individuals who never used digital health technology, older adults who used digital health technology were more likely to be younger, white, not living alone, self-rated as having good health, non-homebound, and possessed higher education, income, and cognitive function, with fewer ADL/IADL impairments, and were less likely to experience hospitalization and depressive symptoms (All P&amp;lt; 0.05). Age, education, income and a diagnosis of dementia were independently associated with technology device use, everyday technology use, and digital health technology use (All P&amp;lt; 0.05). The prevalence of technology use in US older adults differed significantly by demographic and health-related characteristics. Future technology-based services or interventional studies should consider the devices and modalities of technologies in the older population.

Digital health technologies and health-care privatisation

Digital health technologies can potentially reduce health disparities in cancer care. However, the benefits of digital health technology depend partly on users' digital health literacy, that is, "capabilities and resources required for individuals to use and benefit from digital health resources," which combines health and digital literacy. We examined issues for digital health technology implementation in cancer care regarding digital health literacy, via stakeholder consultation. Consumers, health care professionals, researchers, developers, nongovernment and government/policy stakeholders (N=51) participated in focus groups/interviews discussing barriers, enablers, needs and opportunities for digital health implementation in cancer care. Researchers applied framework analysis to identify themes of digital health literacy in the context of disparity and inclusion. Limited digital and traditional health literacy were identified as barriers to digital technology engagement, with a range of difficulties identified for older, younger and socio-economically or geographically disadvantaged groups. Digital health technology was a potential enabler of health care access and literacy, affording opportunities to increase reach and engagement. Education combined with targeted design and implementation were identified means of addressing health and digital literacy to effectively implement digital health in cancer care. Implementing digital health in cancer care must address the variability of digital health literacy in recipients, including groups living with disadvantage and older and younger people, in order to be effective. SO WHAT?: If cancer outcome disparity is to be reduced via digital health technologies, they must be implemented strategically to address digital health literacy needs. Health policy should reflect this approach.

There are dynamic interactions between (digital) technologies and society. Digital technologies have a(re-)structuring effect on social relationships and social innovations in avariety of ways. Because of these characteristics, technological innovations affect our individual lifestyles and living environments. In particular, the development and implementation of interventions with digital (health) technologies is attracting increasing national and international attention (e.g. telematics GP consultations and app-supported patient education programs).Digital health technologies enable new forms of interaction and knowledge-based reproduction in the field of health. The integration of potential users in the development process of digital health technologies and interventions requires the discussion of new research approaches. The interests, needs, and requirements of users may influence the nonuse of digital health technologies. It is above all the successful implementation, involving potential users, that can have an influence on acceptance and integrative use in the later course of care. The discourse on the participatory development and implementation of interventions with digital health technologies in the field of digital public health presents itself as acomplex process characterized by various theoretical approaches and methodological procedures and requiring representation, evaluation, and classification.

BackgroundDigital health is efficacious for the management and prevention of mental health (MH) problems. It is particularly helpful for the young adult population, who appreciate the autonomy digital health provides, and in low-income countries, where the prevalence of MH problems is high but the supply of professionals trained in MH is low.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study are 2-fold: to determine whether university students in Bangladesh find using digital health for MH promotion acceptable and to examine motivational factors for using digital health for MH.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional survey to examine the likelihood that university students in Bangladesh (n=311) would use different forms of digital health platforms for MH promotion and assessed drivers of intention to use and actual use of digital health generally and digital health for MH through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model. The results provided evidence that the university student population in Bangladesh is likely to use digital health to promote their MH.ResultsSocial influence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.68, 95% CI 1.40-2.01; P<.001), ease of use (aOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.35-2.53; P<.001), and perceived usefulness (aOR 4.12, 95% CI 1.79-9.51; P=.001) of digital health were found to be significant drivers of the intention to use general digital health, and having an intention to use digital health (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.17-3.78; P=.01) had the greatest influence on actual use of digital health. Social influence (aOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.43-2.04; P<.001), perceived usefulness (aOR 8.92, 95% CI 4.18-19.04; P<.001), and use of general digital health (aOR 2.16, 95% CI 1.18-3.97; P=.01) were associated with higher intention to use digital health for MH. The use of general digital health (aOR 4.19, 95% CI 2.37-7.41; P<.001) was associated with the actual use of digital health for MH, as were greater non–stigma-related barriers to using traditional clinical MH services (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.10-3.80; P=.02).ConclusionsOverall, we see that the use of digital health for MH is acceptable in this population and can be helpful for students who perceive barriers to receiving traditional care. We also gain insight into how to promote the intention to use digital health, which in turn promotes the actual use of digital health.

Digital health technologies can potentially increase the efficiency and quality of pediatric palliative care (PPC), yet their use in home-based PPC remains limited. Limited digital health care literacy and inadequate training can reduce confidence and foster negative attitudes, whereas positive experiences and basic digital health care literacy may encourage adoption. This study aims to explore the use of digital health technologies by Norwegian health care personnel in home-based PPC and examine the association between their digital health care literacy and their attitudes toward digital health. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to May 2024, with an online survey targeting health care personnel involved in home-based PPC through primary or specialist health care services. Data were collected using selected items from the Norwegian Healthcare Personnel Survey on eHealth 2022, the Digital Health Care Literacy Scale (DHLS), and the Information Technology Attitude Scales for Health (ITASH), alongside demographic characteristics. Higher DHLS scores indicate greater digital health care literacy, while higher ITASH scores reflect more positive attitudes toward digital health technologies. Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to comprehensively explore the relationships and associations among the variables. Health care personnel (n=148) from diverse health care services responded to the survey. Half of the respondents (72/144, 50%) had experience with real-time video consultation, while phone calls were the primary communication method (138/145, 95.2%). Additionally, 55.6% (79/142) of the respondents had limited or minimal access to electronic health records from other health care services. Health care personnel perceived digital health technologies for remote PPC as a supplement (126/135, 93.3%) rather than a replacement for in-person care. Mean digital health care literacy was 18.29 (SD 3.8) on a scale from 0 to 23. On a scale from 1 to 4, the highest recorded scores pertained to attitudes toward digital health technologies in supporting care (mean 3.17, SD 0.39) and the perceived need for training (mean 3.16, SD 0.43). A statistically significant association was found between the respondents' level of digital health care literacy and their attitudes toward digital health technologies in supporting care (β=0.030, 95% CI 0.014-0.047; P<.001). This study examined the use of digital health technologies by Norwegian health care personnel in home-based PPC, their digital health care literacy, and attitudes toward digital health. Despite positive attitudes and high digital health care literacy, use of digital health technologies was limited, suggesting that inadequate digital health solutions may hinder effective implementation. Addressing these barriers is crucial to enhancing the implementation of digital health in home-based PPC. Future research should focus on integrating digital health technologies into existing infrastructure and workflows while exploring their impact on personalized care to ensure high-quality home-based PPC.