Compliance Patterns and Utilization of e-Health for Glucose Monitoring: Standalone Internet Gateway and Tablet Device

Sociodemographic Factors Influencing the Use of eHealth in People with Chronic Diseases

Alongside the growing number of older persons, the prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing, leading to higher pressure on health care services. eHealth is considered a solution for better and more efficient health care. However, not every patient is able to use eHealth, for several reasons. This study aims to provide an overview of: (1) sociodemographic factors that influence the use of eHealth; and (2) suggest directions for interventions that will improve the use of eHealth in patients with chronic disease. A structured literature review of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library (ACMDL), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted using four sets of keywords: "chronic disease", "eHealth", "factors", and "suggested interventions". Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies were included. Four researchers each assessed quality and extracted data. Twenty-two out of 1639 articles were included. Higher age and lower income, lower education, living alone, and living in rural areas were found to be associated with lower eHealth use. Ethnicity revealed mixed outcomes. Suggested solutions were personalized support, social support, use of different types of Internet devices to deliver eHealth, and involvement of patients in the development of eHealth interventions. It is concluded that eHealth is least used by persons who need it most. Tailored delivery of eHealth is recommended.

Comparison of the Acceptance of Telemonitoring for Glucose Management Between South Korea and China

BACKGROUND

Telemonitoring is used for glucose management and support in many countries. A better understanding of the differences in telemonitoring acceptance based on regional characteristics is needed. Therefore, we compared the acceptance of telemonitoring for glucose management among patients in South Korea and China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study used data from Korean (n = 81) and Chinese (n = 92) subjects with type 2 diabetes. We used two independent sample t-tests to compare patients' perceptions of telemonitoring and multiple regression analysis to determine the factors that affected their behavioral intentions to use telemonitoring. We conducted Wilcoxon signed rank tests to assess the differences in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels from baseline to follow-up.

RESULTS

Although Korean and Chinese patients had positive perceptions of the services, different factors influenced their behavioral intentions to use them. In South Korea, performance expectations and social influences were significantly associated with intention to use telemonitoring. Patients younger than 50 years showed a significant decrease in HbA1c levels at month 6 (p < 0.05). In China, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions were significantly associated with intention to use. In addition, subjects in all age groups exhibited a significant decrease in HbA1c levels at all follow-up points (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Telemonitoring was a supportive intervention in improving blood sugar levels among patients with diabetes in South Korea and China, but the factors influencing its use varied. We provide practical guidance for developing telemonitoring for glucose management that considers the distinct characteristics of different countries.