Abstract
AbstractThe transition from traditional to progressively digitised health systems is leading to new forms of care including, for instance, telehealth and mobile health (mHealth) solutions. On the one hand, such solutions hold the potential for allowing easier, quicker and remote access to health care. On the other hand, digital health technologies can set new challenges for older people, especially for those who are not familiar with such technologies, in terms of receiving the care they need through good access and level of use of services. Furthermore, these services do not necessarily reflect everyone’s preferences and needs. This chapter aims to conceptualise and systematically discuss old-age digital health exclusion. First, we highlight key structural, environmental, individual and socio-technical drivers of the non-use and low-use of digital technologies, considering also the aspect of agency and personal preferences. Second, we point out the main individual and societal implications of old-age digital health exclusion. Third, we provide a conceptual framework for old-age digital health exclusion which includes older people, drivers and implications. Finally, we offer some reflections about digital health technologies in health care, highlighting related issues, risks and challenges for ageing societies.
Highlights
We are living in a world undergoing comprehensive digitalisation
‘Digital health technologies’ is a broader concept which refers to the application of digital technologies to the health systems, for example, to the following services: electronic health records (EHRs) and personalised health records (PHRs); ePrescriptions; remote consultation, monitoring and care services; mobile health solutions for self-management of health, chronic conditions and physical activity
In this chapter we focus on direct end-user technologies, based on the classification suggested by Weiss and colleagues (Weiss et al 2018), targeting digital health
Summary
We are living in a world undergoing comprehensive digitalisation. Services, behaviours and lifestyles are deeply influenced by the availability and exploitation of digital technologies in most of the spheres of life, such as interpersonal communication, commerce, and public services (OECD 2016, 2017). The continual development and refinement of sophisticated, connected and ubiquitous digital technologies have opened the door for a revolution of how most services are conceived, designed and delivered to populations, including older people (Schnoll 2014; Olsson et al 2017). Digital technologies are conceived within this chapter as those devices, such as smartphones, tablets, wearable devices, sensors and computers, which allow users to perform different kinds of activities mainly by connecting to the Internet (Lupton 2014). ‘Digital health technologies’ is a broader concept which refers to the application of digital technologies to the health systems, for example, to the following services: electronic health records (EHRs) and personalised health records (PHRs); ePrescriptions; remote consultation, monitoring and care services (e.g. telehealth, telemedicine); mobile health (mHealth) solutions for self-management of health, chronic conditions and physical activity
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