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Bach F, Engelhardt D, Mallmann CA, Tamir S, Schröder L, Domröse CM, Mallmann MR. Internet Access and Use by Patients with Gynecologic Malignancies: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1677. [PMID: 38730629 PMCID: PMC11083592 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The influence of digitalization on information-seeking, decision-making properties of patients, therapy monitoring, and patient-physician interactions has and will change the global health sector tremendously. With this study, we add knowledge on the degree of digitalization, digital device availability, the use and availability of home and mobile internet access, and the willingness to use novel forms of patient-physician interactions in a group of gynecologic cancer patients. From July 2017 to March 2022, 150 women with a diagnosis of gynecologic malignancy at the University Hospital of Cologne participated in this questionnaire-based cohort study. Any one of three potential internet access devices (stationary computer, smartphone, or tablet) is owned by 94% of patients and the only patient intrinsic factor that is significantly associated with the property of any one of these internet access devices is age. The Internet is used daily or several times per week to assess information on their disease by 92.8%, 90.1% use the Internet for communicational purposes and 71.9% and 93.6% are willing to communicate with their treating physicians via E-Mail or even novel forms of communication, respectively. In conclusion, the predominant majority of gynecologic cancer patients can be reached by modern internet-based E-Health technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Bach
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 20, 50931 Cologne, Germany (D.E.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - David Engelhardt
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 20, 50931 Cologne, Germany (D.E.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christoph A. Mallmann
- Department of Surgery, Helios University Hospital Wuppertal, Heusnerstr. 40, 42283 Wuppertal, Germany;
| | - Sina Tamir
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the City of Cologne, Neufelder Str. 32, 51067 Cologne, Germany
| | - Lars Schröder
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 20, 50931 Cologne, Germany (D.E.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian M. Domröse
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 20, 50931 Cologne, Germany (D.E.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael R. Mallmann
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 20, 50931 Cologne, Germany (D.E.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the City of Cologne, Neufelder Str. 32, 51067 Cologne, Germany
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Bautista JR, Zhang Y, Gwizdka J, Chang YS. Consumers' longitudinal health information needs and seeking: a scoping review. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:daad066. [PMID: 37432774 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Needing and seeking health information often is a longitudinal everyday life information behavior that involves the use of technology. However, no reviews of consumers' longitudinal health information needs (HIN) and health information-seeking (HIS) behavior have been conducted. We performed a scoping review to address this gap. Specifically, we surveyed the characteristics, timeline construction and research findings of studies investigating consumers' longitudinal HIN and HIS. Initial searches were conducted in November 2019 and updated in July 2022. A total of 128 papers were identified, reviewed and analyzed using content and thematic analyses. Results showed that most papers were quantitative, conducted in the USA, related to cancer, conducted during the diagnosis and treatment phases, and followed preset time intervals. Findings concerning the development patterns of consumers' HIN degrees and HIS effort were mixed (i.e. increasing, decreasing or being consistent over time). They seemed to be shaped by factors such as health conditions, data collection methods and the length of data collection. Consumers' use of sources changes depending on health status and source accessibility; their medical terminologies seem to expand over time. HIS has a strong emotional dimension which may lead to adaptive or maladaptive information behaviors (e.g. information avoidance). Overall, the results revealed a lack of understanding of HIN and HIS from a longitudinal perspective, particularly along health condition progression and coping trajectories. There is also a lack of understanding of the role of technologies in the longitudinal HIS process.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Robert Bautista
- School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Health Communication, Moody College of Communication and Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Health Communication, Moody College of Communication and Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jacek Gwizdka
- School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Information eXperience (IX) Lab, School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Yung-Sheng Chang
- School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Stoumpos AI, Kitsios F, Talias MA. Digital Transformation in Healthcare: Technology Acceptance and Its Applications. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3407. [PMID: 36834105 PMCID: PMC9963556 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Technological innovation has become an integral aspect of our daily life, such as wearable and information technology, virtual reality and the Internet of Things which have contributed to transforming healthcare business and operations. Patients will now have a broader range and more mindful healthcare choices and experience a new era of healthcare with a patient-centric culture. Digital transformation determines personal and institutional health care. This paper aims to analyse the changes taking place in the field of healthcare due to digital transformation. For this purpose, a systematic bibliographic review is performed, utilising Scopus, Science Direct and PubMed databases from 2008 to 2021. Our methodology is based on the approach by Wester and Watson, which classify the related articles based on a concept-centric method and an ad hoc classification system which identify the categories used to describe areas of literature. The search was made during August 2022 and identified 5847 papers, of which 321 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for further process. Finally, by removing and adding additional studies, we ended with 287 articles grouped into five themes: information technology in health, the educational impact of e-health, the acceptance of e-health, telemedicine and security issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelos I. Stoumpos
- Healthcare Management Postgraduate Program, Open University Cyprus, P.O. Box 12794, Nicosia 2252, Cyprus
| | - Fotis Kitsios
- Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, GR54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Michael A. Talias
- Healthcare Management Postgraduate Program, Open University Cyprus, P.O. Box 12794, Nicosia 2252, Cyprus
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Navarro Martínez O, Igual García J, Salcedo VT. Nurses' view of benefits, enablers and constraints to the use of digital health tools with patients: A cross-sectional study. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231197339. [PMID: 37675060 PMCID: PMC10478564 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231197339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Digital literacy helps patients to be more informed in order to make decisions about their health. Patient empowerment in the digital realm is a duty for all healthcare professionals, but nurses are the most numerous professionals in all healthcare systems worldwide. In addition, they have an important role in health education and patient follow-up. Therefore, the use of digital tools, by nurses to empower and help patients know more about their health, is crucial. Objective This study was conducted to identify nurses' views on the benefits as well as constraints nurses encounter when using digital resources to empower and educate their patients. We sought to identify enablers that could help nurses use technology with their patients as a means to reinforce the care and advice they offer them. Methods An online ad hoc questionnaire was answered by 848 currently employed Spanish nurses on the benefits of using digital media with their patients, as well as on the constraints and enablers during implementation. Results The majority of the nurses considered that reliable digital information would reduce unnecessary consultations. In addition, they think that at least 50% of their patients could benefit from consulting information online. Among the constraints, nurses mainly pointed out the older age and low educational level of their patients. Younger nurses are the most likely nurses to see patient age as a problem. As for enablers, nurses pointed out the training offered to patients as well as digital tools being user-friendly for patients. Conclusions It is crucial to work while following a lifelong learning strategy, with training from university education as well as training from healthcare institutions to reduce the digital gap that affects patients' digital empowerment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jorge Igual García
- Higher Technical School of Telecommunication Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
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A Digital Cancer Ecosystem to Deliver Health and Psychosocial Education as Preventive Intervention. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14153724. [PMID: 35954388 PMCID: PMC9367518 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Health education and psychosocial interventions prevent emotional distress, and the latter has been shown to have an impact on survival. In turn, digital health education interventions may help promote equity by reaching a higher number of cancer patients, both because they avoid journeys to the hospital, by and having a better efficiency. A total of 234 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer in a comprehensive cancer center used the digital ecosystem ICOnnecta’t from March 2019 to March 2021. ICOnnecta’t consists of four care levels, provided to patients according to their level of distress. The second level of this intervention consists of an educational campus, which was analyzed to track users’ interests and their information-seeking behavior. Overall, 99 out of 234 women (42.3%) used the educational campus. There were no significant differences in sociodemographic and clinical variables between the campus users and non-users. Among users, the median number of resources utilized per user was four (interquartile range: 2−9). Emotional and medical resources were the contents most frequently viewed and the audiovisual format the most consulted (p < 0.01). Resources were used mainly within the first three months from enrolment. Users who were guided to visit the virtual campus were more active than spontaneous users. Offering an early holistic health educational platform inside a digital cancer ecosystem, with health professionals involved, can reach more patients, promoting equity in the access of cancer information and prevention, from the very beginning of the disease.
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