Psychosocial Health, e-Health Literacy, and Perceptions of e-Health as Predictors and Moderators of e-Health Use Among Caregivers of Children with Special Healthcare Needs.

Abstract

In this study, we explored the relationships between the psychosocial health of caregivers of children with special healthcare needs and their e-health use. Additionally, the analysis examined moderating effects of a caregiver's perceptions of e-health and his or her e-health literacy on the associations among four domains of psychosocial health and e-health use. To date, 313 caregivers of children, 12-18 years of age, with special healthcare needs have been recruited. Covariate-adjusted multivariable regressions determined associations between psychosocial health domains of caregivers and e-health use. E-health literacy and perceptions of e-health were further tested as moderators of the relationship between psychosocial health and e-health use. Among the caregiver population, 31% had problems with social functioning, 36.1% with communication, 43.3% with family relationships, and 46.3% with worrying for their child. After adjusting for demographic variables, e-health use was associated with poorer levels of social functioning, communication, worry, and family relationship. E-health use was also associated with e-health literacy. Perceptions of e-health significantly moderated the relationships among social functioning, communication, and e-health, with the relationship being significantly stronger in caregivers with more positive perceptions of e-health. Caregivers of children with special healthcare needs have notable levels of psychosocial challenges and those challenges are associated with their e-health resource seeking. Although e-health interventions, including ones that focus on child health education and caregiver support, may be the future of healthcare, a concerted effort is needed to educate caregivers about the benefits of e-health.