Abstract
BackgroundTelehealth and online health information provide patients with increased access to healthcare services and health information in chronic disease management of older patients with chronic diseases, addressing the challenge of inadequate health resources and promoting active and informed participation of older patients in chronic disease management. There are few qualitative studies on the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management in older patients. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common chronic diseases in older adults. Telehealth is widely used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of older patients and healthcare providers in the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study with data generated from 52 individual semi-structured interviews with 29 patients [Law of the People’s Republic of China on the protection of the rights and interests of older people (2018 Revised Version) = >60 years old] with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 23 healthcare providers. The inductive thematic analysis method was used for data analysis.ResultsFour themes and 16 sub-themes were identified in this study. Four themes included: faced with a vast amount of online health information, essential competencies and personality traits ensuring older patients’ participation and sustained use, user experience with the use of technology, being in a complex social context.ConclusionThe ability of patients to understand health information should be fully considered while facilitating access to online health information for older patients. The role of health responsibility and user experience in older patients’ participation and sustained use of telehealth and online health information needs to be emphasised. In addition, the complex social context is a determining factor to be considered, particularly the complex impact of a reliance on offspring and social prejudice on the behaviour of older adults using telehealth and online health information.
Highlights
Telehealth and online health information provide patients with increased access to healthcare services and health information in chronic disease management of older patients with chronic diseases, addressing the challenge of inadequate health resources and promoting active and informed participation of older patients in chronic disease management
This study explored the experiences and perceptions of telehealth use and online health information use in chronic disease management (CDM) in older people with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from the perspective of patients and healthcare providers (HCPs)
With regard to user experience regarding the use of technology, several studies have suggested that the usability of equipment, convenience, and greater accessibility were perceived by patients and/ or HCPs as benefits of telecare or tele-monitoring [44,45,46]
Summary
Telehealth and online health information provide patients with increased access to healthcare services and health information in chronic disease management of older patients with chronic diseases, addressing the challenge of inadequate health resources and promoting active and informed participation of older patients in chronic disease management. There are few qualitative studies on the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management in older patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of older patients and healthcare providers in the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The rapid ageing of the world’s population has made chronic disease management (CDM) in older people a major challenge in public health [1,2,3]. Many factors, such as the insufficient and unequal distribution of health resources and cost issues, prevent older people from accessing CDM [4,5,6]. In the trend towards a patient-centred model of healthcare delivery, the use of telehealth and online health information guarantees more active and informed patients in CDM [16,17,18,19,20]
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