How is eHealth literacy measured and what do the measurements tell us?

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Knudsen, Astrid Karnøe; Kayser, Lars

2015-01-01

The increasing use of digital services and technologies in health care calls for effective tools to evaluate the users’ eHealth literacy in order to better understand the users’ interaction with health technologies. We here present a systematic review of existing tools to measure eHealth literacy...... and for what these tools have been used to investigate. We identified eight tools, of which three of them are bases upon a conceptual model of eHealth literacy and the remaining five are dual tools, i.a. comprised of individual measures for health literacy and digital literacy. Of these eight tools, only one...... tool (The eHealth literacy Scale - eHEALS) was used in other studies than the one it was originally published in. eHEALS has primarily been used to establish eHealth literacy levels in different populations. Five of the studies have been conducted by examining eHealth literacy’s impact on health...

eHealth literacy and preferences for eHealth resources in parents of children with complex CHD.

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Kasparian, Nadine A; Lieu, Nathan; Winlaw, David S; Cole, Andrew; Kirk, Edwin; Sholler, Gary F

2017-05-01

Introduction This study aimed to (a) examine eHealth literacy, beliefs, and behaviours in parents of children with complex CHD, and (b) identify parents' preferences for the content, format, features, and functions of eHealth resources for CHD. Materials and methods Families (n=198) of children born between 2008 and 2011 and diagnosed with CHD requiring surgery were mailed a survey assessing a range of variables including eHealth literacy, beliefs, and behaviours as well as preferences for the format, functions, features, and content of eHealth resources for CHD. A total of 132 parents (83 mothers, 49 fathers) completed the survey (response rate: 50%). Mothers (96%) were more likely to access eHealth resources than fathers (83%, χ2=6.74, p=0.009). Despite high eHealth resource use, eHealth literacy was relatively low, with results demonstrating considerable and widespread gaps in awareness of, access to, and communication about eHealth resources. Over 50% of parents reported that decisions regarding their child's healthcare were influenced, to some extent, by web-based resources. Barriers to doctor-patient communication about eHealth included limited consultation time and concern about doctors' disapproval. Participants demonstrated a strong desire for "eHealth prescriptions" from their child's healthcare team, and perceived a wide range of eHealth topics as highly important, including treatment-related complications as well as physical, cognitive, and emotional development in children with CHD. Discussion Results suggest a need for stronger, more proactive partnerships between clinicians, researchers, educators, technologists, and patients and families to bring about meaningful innovations in the development and implementation of eHealth interventions in paediatric cardiology.

Associations of eHealth Literacy With Health Behavior Among Adult Internet Users.

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Mitsutake, Seigo; Shibata, Ai; Ishii, Kaori; Oka, Koichiro

2016-07-18

In the rapidly developing use of the Internet in society, eHealth literacy-having the skills to utilize health information on the Internet-has become an important prerequisite for promoting healthy behavior. However, little is known about whether eHealth literacy is associated with health behavior in a representative sample of adult Internet users. The aim of this study was to examine the association between eHealth literacy and general health behavior (cigarette smoking, physical exercise, alcohol consumption, sleeping hours, eating breakfast, eating between meals, and balanced nutrition) among adult Internet users in Japan. The participants were recruited among registrants of a Japanese Internet research service company and asked to answer a cross-sectional Internet-based survey in 2012. The potential respondents (N=10,178) were randomly and blindly invited via email from the registrants in accordance with the set sample size and other attributes. eHealth literacy was assessed using the Japanese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale. The self-reported health behaviors investigated included never smoking cigarettes, physical exercise, alcohol consumption, sleeping hours, eating breakfast, not eating between meals, and balanced nutrition. We obtained details of sociodemographic attributes (sex, age, marital status, educational attainment, and household income level) and frequency of conducting Internet searches. To determine the association of each health behavior with eHealth literacy, we performed a logistic regression analysis; we adjusted for sociodemographic attributes and frequency of Internet searching as well as for other health behaviors that were statistically significant with respect to eHealth literacy in univariate analyses. We analyzed the data of 2115 adults (response rate: 24.04%, 2142/10,178; male: 49.74%, 1052/2115; age: mean 39.7, SD 10.9 years) who responded to the survey. Logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with high eHealth

Association of eHealth literacy with cancer information seeking and prior experience with cancer screening.

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Park, Hyejin; Moon, Mikyung; Baeg, Jung Hoon

2014-09-01

Cancer is a critical disease with a high mortality rate in the US. Although useful information exists on the Internet, many people experience difficulty finding information about cancer prevention because they have limited eHealth literacy. This study aimed to identify relationships between the level of eHealth literacy and cancer information seeking experience or prior experience with cancer screening tests. A total of 108 adults participated in this study through questionnaires. Data covering demographics, eHealth literacy, cancer information seeking experience, educational needs for cancer information searching, and previous cancer screening tests were obtained. Study findings show that the level of eHealth literacy influences cancer information seeking. Individuals with low eHealth literacy are likely to be less confident about finding cancer information. In addition, people who have a low level of eHealth literacy need more education about seeking information than do those with a higher level of eHealth literacy. However, there is no significant relationship between eHealth literacy and cancer screening tests. More people today are using the Internet for access to information to maintain good health. It is therefore critical to educate those with low eHealth literacy so they can better self-manage their health.

Health literacy in the eHealth era: A systematic review of the literature.

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Kim, Henna; Xie, Bo

2017-06-01

This study aimed to identify studies on online health service use by people with limited health literacy, as the findings could provide insights into how health literacy has been, and should be, addressed in the eHealth era. To identify the relevant literature published since 2010, we performed four rounds of selection-database selection, keyword search, screening of the titles and abstracts, and screening of full texts. This process produced a final of 74 publications. The themes addressed in the 74 publications fell into five categories: evaluation of health-related content, development and evaluation of eHealth services, development and evaluation of health literacy measurement tools, interventions to improve health literacy, and online health information seeking behavior. Barriers to access to and use of online health information can result from the readability of content and poor usability of eHealth services. We need new health literacy screening tools to identify skills for adequate use of eHealth services. Mobile apps hold great potential for eHealth and mHealth services tailored to people with low health literacy. Efforts should be made to make eHealth services easily accessible to low-literacy individuals and to enhance individual health literacy through educational programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

eHealth literacy, Internet and eHealth service usage: a survey among cancer patients and their relatives.

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Halwas, Nikolaus; Griebel, Lena; Huebner, Jutta

2017-11-01

The aim of our study was to investigate Internet and eHealth usage, with respect to eHealth literacy, by cancer patients and their relatives. Using a standardized questionnaire we asked patients who attended lectures on complementary medicine in 2016. We received 142 questionnaires. The frequency of general Internet usage was directly associated with younger age and better Internet connection. Younger participants were not only more confident in allocating health-related Internet information into reliable or unreliable facts, but also more confident and capable of gaining medical knowledge through eHealth services. A regular use of eHealth services facilitated the decision-making process. Reading ability was associated with a better understanding regarding eHealth offers. In a modern health care system, emphasis should be on skills contributing to eHealth literacy among patients to improve their ability to profit from eHealth offers and improve health care.

The Influence of eHealth Literacy on Perceived Trust in Online Health Communication Channels and Sources.

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Paige, Samantha R; Krieger, Janice L; Stellefson, Michael L

2017-01-01

Disparities in online health information accessibility are partially due to varying levels of eHealth literacy and perceived trust. This study examined the relationship between eHealth literacy and perceived trust in online health communication channels and sources among diverse sociodemographic groups. A stratified sample of Black/African Americans (n = 402) and Caucasians (n = 409) completed a Web-based survey that measured eHealth literacy and perceived trustworthiness of online health communication channels and information sources. eHealth literacy positively predicted perceived trust in online health communication channels and sources, but disparities existed by sociodemographic factors. Segmenting audiences according to eHealth literacy level provides a detailed understanding of how perceived trust in discrete online health communication channels and information sources varies among diverse audiences. Black/African Americans with low eHealth literacy had high perceived trust in YouTube and Twitter, whereas Black/African Americans with high eHealth literacy had high perceived trust in online government and religious organizations. Older adults with low eHealth literacy had high perceived trust in Facebook but low perceived trust in online support groups. Researchers and practitioners should consider the sociodemographics and eHealth literacy level of an intended audience when tailoring information through trustworthy online health communication channels and information sources.

The Associations Among Individual Factors, eHealth Literacy, and Health-Promoting Lifestyles Among College Students.

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Yang, Shu-Ching; Luo, Yi-Fang; Chiang, Chia-Hsun

2017-01-10

eHealth literacy is gaining importance for maintaining and promoting health. Studies have found that individuals with high eHealth literacy are more likely to adopt healthy eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. In addition, previous studies have shown that various individual factors (eg, frequency of seeking information on health issues, degree of health concern, frequency of eating organic food, and students' college major) are associated with eHealth literacy and health-promoting lifestyles. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health-promoting lifestyles among college students. Moreover, there is a lack of studies that focus on eHealth literacy as a predictor of psychological health behaviors. To examine the associations among various individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health-promoting lifestyles. The eHealth Literacy Scale is a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy. The Health-promoting Lifestyle Scale is a 23-item instrument developed to measure college students' self-actualization, health responsibility, interpersonal support, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. A nationally representative sample of 556 valid college students in Taiwan was surveyed. A questionnaire was administered to gather the respondents' background information, including the frequency of seeking information on health issues, the frequency of eating organic food, the degree of health concern, and the students' major. We then conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health-promoting lifestyles. The study found that factors such as medical majors (t 550 =2.47-7.55, PeHealth literacy. Moreover, critical eHealth literacy positively predicted all 6 health-promoting lifestyle dimensions (t 547 =2.66-7.28, PeHealth literacy, and had a positive health

[Training, the key to improving eHealth literacy of upper secondary school students].

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Hernández-Rabanal, Carme; Vall, Aurora; Boter, Clara

To explore whether training on strategies to identify and assess health-related information online has a positive impact on students' perception of their own eHealth literacy. The validated eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) was administered to a sample of upper secondary school students, aged 15-18. One week later, they attended a training session on how to search and identify reliable health-related information and resources online. The eHEALS was administered again at the end of this session. Information about gender and school year was collected in both sessions. Perceived eHealth literacy was assessed by comparing the scores obtained before and after the session. Bivariate and multiple linear regressions were completed. Of the 298 students enrolled in upper secondary school (Bachillerato), 285 were included in the study. Approximately 52.28% (149) were female, and 47.72% (136) were male. The mean eHEALS score before the session was 24.19 (range: 8-40), and was 28.54 after it. The training was associated with higher perceived eHealth literacy scores (p <0,0001). Health literacy was positively associated with the usefulness and importance students give the Internet. Attendance at a training session on strategies to identify and assess health-related resources online is associated with higher levels of perceived eHealth literacy. Implementing specific training sessions on eHealth literacy in upper secondary school is a promising approach for enhancing students' eHealth literacy. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

With Some Help From My Network: Supplementing eHealth Literacy With Social Ties.

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Hayat, Tsahi Zack; Brainin, Esther; Neter, Efrat

2017-03-30

eHealth literacy is defined as the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem. Previous research has shown high reliance on both online and face-to-face interpersonal sources when sharing and receiving health information. In this paper, we examine these interpersonal sources and their interplay with respondents' eHealth literacy and perceived health outcomes. Specifically, we look at how the relationship between eHealth literacy and health outcomes is moderated by (1) finding help while performing online activities, (2) finding others with similar health concerns online, and (3) the importance of finding others with similar health concerns for people from ethnic minorities, specifically Palestinian citizens of Israel versus Israeli Jews. We used a nationally representative random-digit dial telephone household survey of an Israeli adult population (age ≥21 years, N=819). The collected data were analyzed using two regression models. The first examined how the correlation between eHealth literacy and perceived outcomes was moderated by the availability of help. The second examined how the correlation between eHealth literacy and perceived outcomes was moderated by finding others with similar health concerns and by ethnicity. Respondents with low eHealth literacy who were able to recruit help when performing online activities demonstrated higher perceived health outcomes compared to similar respondents who did not find help. Respondents with low eHealth literacy, who were able to find others with similar health concerns (online), demonstrated higher perceived health outcomes when compared to similar respondents who did not find others with similar health concerns. Finally, finding similar others online was more helpful in enhancing health outcomes for ethnic minorities; Palestinian citizens of Israel gained more health benefits by finding similar

Understanding health literacy for strategic health marketing: eHealth literacy, health disparities, and the digital divide.

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Bodie, Graham D; Dutta, Mohan Jyoti

2008-01-01

Even despite policy efforts aimed at reducing health-related disparities, evidence mounts that population-level gaps in literacy and healthcare quality are increasing. This widening of disparities in American culture is likely to worsen over the coming years due, in part, to our increasing reliance on Internet-based technologies to disseminate health information and services. The purpose of the current article is to incorporate health literacy into an Integrative Model of eHealth Use. We argue for this theoretical understanding of eHealth literacy and propose that macro-level disparities in social structures are connected to health disparities through the micro-level conduits of eHealth literacy, motivation, and ability. In other words, structural inequities reinforce themselves and continue to contribute to healthcare disparities through the differential distribution of technologies that simultaneously enhance and impede literacy, motivation, and ability of different groups (and individuals) in the population. We conclude the article by suggesting pragmatic implications of our analysis.

A qualitative case study of ehealth and digital literacy experiences of pharmacy staff.

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MacLure, Katie; Stewart, Derek

2018-06-01

eHealth's many forms are benchmarked by the World Health Organization. Scotland is considered an advanced adopter of ehealth. The third global survey on ehealth includes pharmacy-related ehealth indicators. Advances in ehealth place an obligation on pharmacy staff to demonstrate proficiency, or digital literacy, in using ehealth technologies. The aim of this study was to provide an indepth exploration of the ehealth and digital literacy experiences of pharmacy staff in the North East of Scotland. A qualitative local case study approach was adopted for observational and interview activities in community and hospital pharmacies. Interview and observational data were collated and analysed using a framework approach. This study gained management approval from the local health board following ethical review by the sponsor university. Nineteen pharmacies and staff (n = 94) participated including two hospitals. Most participants were female (n = 82), aged 29 years and younger (n = 34) with less than 5 years pharmacy experience (n = 49). Participants identified their own digital literacy as basic. Most of the pharmacies had minimum levels of technology implemented (n = 15). Four themes (technology, training, usability, processes) were inducted from the data, coded and modelled with illustrative quotes. Scotland is aspirational in seeking to support the developing role of pharmacy practice with ehealth, however, evidence to date shows most pharmacy staff work with minimum levels of technology. The self-reported lack of digital literacy and often mentioned lack of confidence in using IT suggest pharmacy staff need support and training. Informal work based digital literacy development of the pharmacy team is self-limiting. Usability of ehealth technology could be a key element of its' acceptability. There is potential to better engage with ehealth process efficiencies in both hospital and community pharmacy. As Scotland increasingly invests in ehealth pharmacy

eHealth Literacy and Partner Involvement in Treatment Decision Making for Men With Newly Diagnosed Localized Prostate Cancer.

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Song, Lixin; Tatum, Kimberly; Greene, Giselle; Chen, Ronald C

2017-03-01

To examine how the eHealth literacy of partners of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer affects their involvement in decision making, and to identify the factors that influence their eHealth literacy.
. Cross-sectional exploratory study.
. North Carolina.
. 142 partners of men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer. 
. A telephone survey and descriptive and multiple linear regression analyses were used.
. The partners' eHealth literacy, involvement in treatment decision making, and demographics, and the health statuses of the patients and their partners. 
. Higher levels of eHealth literacy among partners were significantly associated with their involvement in getting a second opinion, their awareness of treatment options, and the size of the social network they relied on for additional information and support for treatment decision making for prostate cancer. The factor influencing eHealth literacy was the partners' access to the Internet for personal use, which explained some of the variance in eHealth literacy.
. This study described how partners' eHealth literacy influenced their involvement in treatment decision making for prostate cancer and highlighted the influencing factors (i.e., partners' access to the Internet for personal use).
. When helping men with prostate cancer and their partners with treatment decision making, nurses need to assess eHealth literacy levels to determine whether nonelectronically based education materials are needed and to provide clear instructions on how to use eHealth resources.

The effect of individual factors on health behaviors among college students: the mediating effects of eHealth literacy.

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Hsu, WanChen; Chiang, ChiaHsun; Yang, ShuChing

2014-12-12

College students' health behavior is a topic that deserves attention. Individual factors and eHealth literacy may affect an individual's health behaviors. The integrative model of eHealth use (IMeHU) provides a parsimonious account of the connections among the digital divide, health care disparities, and the unequal distribution and use of communication technologies. However, few studies have explored the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors, and IMeHU has not been empirically investigated. This study examines the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors using IMeHU. The Health Behavior Scale is a 12-item instrument developed to measure college students' eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. The eHealth Literacy Scale is a 12-item instrument designed to measure college students' functional, interactive, and critical eHealth literacy. A nationally representative sample of 525 valid college students in Taiwan was surveyed. A questionnaire was administered to collect background information about participants' health status, degree of health concern, major, and the frequency with which they engaged in health-related discussions. This study used Amos 6.0 to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to identify the best measurement models for the eHealth Literacy Scale and the Health Behavior Scale. We then conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the associations among individual factors, eHealth literacy, and health behaviors. Additionally, causal steps approach was used to explore indirect (mediating) effects and Sobel tests were used to test the significance of the mediating effects. The study found that perceptions of better health status (t520=2.14-6.12, PeHealth literacy and adoption of healthy eating, exercise, and sleep behaviors. Moreover, eHealth literacy played an intermediary role in the association between individual factors and health behaviors (Sobel test=2.09-2.72, Pe

The E-health Literacy Demands of Australia's My Health Record: A Heuristic Evaluation of Usability.

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Walsh, Louisa; Hemsley, Bronwyn; Allan, Meredith; Adams, Natalie; Balandin, Susan; Georgiou, Andrew; Higgins, Isabel; McCarthy, Shaun; Hill, Sophie

2017-01-01

My Health Record is Australia's electronic personal health record system, which was introduced in July 2012. As of August 2017, approximately 21 percent of Australia's total population was registered to use My Health Record. Internationally, usability issues have been shown to negatively influence the uptake and use of electronic health record systems, and this scenario may particularly affect people who have low e-health literacy. It is likely that usability issues are negatively affecting the uptake and use of My Health Record in Australia. To identify potential e-health literacy-related usability issues within My Health Record through a heuristic evaluation method. Between September 14 and October 12, 2016, three of the authors conducted a heuristic evaluation of the two consumer-facing components of My Health Record-the information website and the electronic health record itself. These two components were evaluated against two sets of heuristics-the Health Literacy Online checklist and the Monkman Heuristics. The Health Literacy Online checklist and Monkman Heuristics are evidence-based checklists of web design elements with a focus on design for audiences with low health literacy. During this heuristic evaluation, the investigators individually navigated through the consumer-facing components of My Health Record, recording instances where the My Health Record did not conform to the checklist criteria. After the individual evaluations were completed, the investigators conferred and aggregated their results. From this process, a list of usability violations was constructed. When evaluated against the Health Literacy Online Checklist, the information website demonstrated violations in 12 of 35 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 16 of 35 criteria. When evaluated against the Monkman Heuristics, the information website demonstrated violations in 7 of 11 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 9 of 11

Self-reported eHealth literacy among undergraduate nursing students in South Korea: a pilot study.

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Park, Hyejin; Lee, Eunjoo

2015-02-01

With the Internet being the preferred primary source for information seekers, 9 out of 10 Internet users report that they have looked online for health information in South Korea. Nurses as well as nursing students need to be knowledgeable about online health information resources and able to evaluate relevant information online in order to assist patients and patients' families' access. The purpose of the study was to assess eHealth literacy among undergraduate nursing students in South Korea. The specific aims were to: 1) identify the self-reported eHealth literacy levels, and 2) determine differences in levels of eHealth literacy between pre-nursing and nursing students. This study used a descriptive comparison design. One hundred and seventy-six undergraduate nursing students in South Korea participated. Participants were asked to complete the eHealth Literacy Scale. Collected data were analyzed using a descriptive statistical method and t-tests. Participants responded that the Internet is a useful or very useful tool in helping them make health-related decisions. Furthermore, participants felt that it is important to be able to access health resources on the Internet. The majority of the participants either agreed or strongly agreed that they felt comfortable using the Internet with awareness of what information is available and of their skill to find information. Only a few respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they had the ability to differentiate between a high quality and a low quality health resource on the Internet. Students enrolled in nursing scored higher means in all eHealth literacy items than students enrolled in pre-nursing. Six out of ten eHealth literacy items showed significant differences between two groups. Findings from this study provide fundamental data for education administrators and educators to begin supporting students with appropriate education programs to enhance their eHealth literacy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All

Association of eHealth literacy with colorectal cancer knowledge and screening practice among internet users in Japan.

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Mitsutake, Seigo; Shibata, Ai; Ishii, Kaori; Oka, Koichiro

2012-11-13

In rapidly developing Internet-user societies, eHealth literacy has become important in promoting wellness. Although previous studies have observed that poor health literacy is associated with less knowledge and screening practice of colorectal cancer (CRC), little is known about whether eHealth literacy is associated with these variables. The present study examined associations between eHealth literacy, knowledge of CRC, and CRC screening practices. Data were analyzed for 2970 Japanese adults (men, 49.9%; mean age±SD, 39.7±10.9 years) who responded to an Internet-based cross-sectional survey. Knowledge of the definition of CRC, its risk factors and screening practice, previous experience of CRC screening, score on the Japanese version of the eHEALS (J-eHEALS), sociodemographic attributes (sex, age, marital status, educational attainment, and household income level), and frequency of Internet usage were obtained. Sociodemographic attributes and frequency of Internet usage were used as control variables in the multiple regression and logistic regression models. eHealth literacy was positively associated with CRC knowledge (β=.116, increase of 1 point in the eHEALS score signified that participants were 1.03 times (95% CI=1.01-1.05) more likely to undergo CRC screening. Internet users with high eHealth literacy are more likely to have knowledge and previous screening practice related to CRC compared to those with low eHealth literacy.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Chinese Version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) in School Age Children

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Koo, Malcolm; Norman, Cameron D.; Chang, Hsiao-Mei

2012-01-01

The eight-item eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) is a previously validated scale developed to assess consumers' combined knowledge, comfort, and perceived skills at finding, evaluating, and applying electronic health information to health problems. In the present study, a Chinese version of the eHEALS was developed and its psychometric properties…

Examination of an eHealth literacy scale and a health literacy scale in a population with moderate to high cardiovascular risk: Rasch analyses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah S Richtering

Full Text Available Electronic health (eHealth strategies are evolving making it important to have valid scales to assess eHealth and health literacy. Item response theory methods, such as the Rasch measurement model, are increasingly used for the psychometric evaluation of scales. This paper aims to examine the internal construct validity of an eHealth and health literacy scale using Rasch analysis in a population with moderate to high cardiovascular disease risk.The first 397 participants of the CONNECT study completed the electronic health Literacy Scale (eHEALS and the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ. Overall Rasch model fit as well as five key psychometric properties were analysed: unidimensionality, response thresholds, targeting, differential item functioning and internal consistency.The eHEALS had good overall model fit (χ2 = 54.8, p = 0.06, ordered response thresholds, reasonable targeting and good internal consistency (person separation index (PSI 0.90. It did, however, appear to measure two constructs of eHealth literacy. The HLQ subscales (except subscale 5 did not fit the Rasch model (χ2: 18.18-60.60, p: 0.00-0.58 and had suboptimal targeting for most subscales. Subscales 6 to 9 displayed disordered thresholds indicating participants had difficulty distinguishing between response options. All subscales did, nonetheless, demonstrate moderate to good internal consistency (PSI: 0.62-0.82.Rasch analyses demonstrated that the eHEALS has good measures of internal construct validity although it appears to capture different aspects of eHealth literacy (e.g. using eHealth and understanding eHealth. Whilst further studies are required to confirm this finding, it may be necessary for these constructs of the eHEALS to be scored separately. The nine HLQ subscales were shown to measure a single construct of health literacy. However, participants' scores may not represent their actual level of ability, as distinction between response categories was unclear for

Determinants of Consumer eHealth Information Seeking Behavior.

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Sandefer, Ryan H; Westra, Bonnie L; Khairat, Saif S; Pieczkiewicz, David S; Speedie, Stuart M

2015-01-01

Patients are increasingly using the Internet and other technologies to engage in their own healthcare, but little research has focused on the determinants of consumer eHealth behaviors related to Internet use. This study uses data from 115,089 respondents to four years of the National Health Interview Series to identify the associations between one consumer eHealth behavior (information seeking) and demographics, health measures, and Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) (messaging, scheduling, refills, and chat). Individuals who use PHIM are 7.5 times more likely to search the internet for health related information. Just as health has social determinants, the results of this study indicate there are potential social determinants of consumer eHealth behaviors including personal demographics, health status, and healthcare access.

Health literacy screening instruments for eHealth applications: a systematic review.

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Collins, Sarah A; Currie, Leanne M; Bakken, Suzanne; Vawdrey, David K; Stone, Patricia W

2012-06-01

To systematically review current health literacy (HL) instruments for use in consumer-facing and mobile health information technology screening and evaluation tools. The databases, PubMed, OVID, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index, were searched for health literacy assessment instruments using the terms "health", "literacy", "computer-based," and "psychometrics". All instruments identified by this method were critically appraised according to their reported psychometric properties and clinical feasibility. Eleven different health literacy instruments were found. Screening questions, such as asking a patient about his/her need for assistance in navigating health information, were evaluated in seven different studies and are promising for use as a valid, reliable, and feasible computer-based approach to identify patients that struggle with low health literacy. However, there was a lack of consistency in the types of screening questions proposed. There is also a lack of information regarding the psychometric properties of computer-based health literacy instruments. Only English language health literacy assessment instruments were reviewed and analyzed. Current health literacy screening tools demonstrate varying benefits depending on the context of their use. In many cases, it seems that a single screening question may be a reliable, valid, and feasible means for establishing health literacy. A combination of screening questions that assess health literacy and technological literacy may enable tailoring eHealth applications to user needs. Further research should determine the best screening question(s) and the best synthesis of various instruments' content and methodologies for computer-based health literacy screening and assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health Literacy Screening Instruments for eHealth Applications: A Systematic Review

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Collins, Sarah A.; Currie, Leanne M.; Bakken, Suzanne; Vawdrey, David K.; Stone, Patricia W.

2012-01-01

Objective To systematically review current health literacy (HL) instruments for use in consumer-facing and mobile health information technology screening and evaluation tools. Design The databases, PubMed, OVID, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index, were searched for health literacy assessment instruments using the terms “health”, “literacy”, “computer-based,” and “psychometrics”. All instruments identified by this method were critically appraised according to their reported psychometric properties and clinical feasibility. Results Eleven different health literacy instruments were found. Screening questions, such as asking a patient about his/her need for assistance in navigating health information, were evaluated in 7 different studies and are promising for use as a valid, reliable, and feasible computer-based approach to identify patients that struggle with low health literacy. However, there was a lack of consistency in the types of screening questions proposed. There is also a lack of information regarding the psychometric properties of computer-based health literacy instruments. Limitations Only English language health literacy assessment instruments were reviewed and analyzed. Conclusions Current health literacy screening tools demonstrate varying benefits depending on the context of their use. In many cases, it seems that a single screening question may be a reliable, valid, and feasible means for establishing health literacy. A combination of screening questions that assess health literacy and technological literacy may enable tailoring eHealth applications to user needs. Further research should determine the best screening question(s) and the best synthesis of various instruments’ content and methodologies for computer-based health literacy screening and assessment. PMID:22521719

Examining e-Health literacy and the digital divide in an underserved population in Hawai'i.

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Connolly, Kathleen Kihmm; Crosby, Martha E

2014-02-01

Seeking health information is one of the leading uses for the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). Research has found the amount one benefits from e-Health information (health information from electronic sources) is directly related to the level of e-Health literacy. e-Health literacy is defined as "the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem." In order to gain a further understanding of the effects and use of technology, the digital divide, and the relationship between technology utilization and health outcomes, focus group interviews were conducted with participants diagnosed with diabetes and currently residing in a Medically Underserved Area. Overall, 25 volunteers participated in the four focus group meetings. Based on the focus group discussions, a general low e-Health literacy rate was identified. This was demonstrated by the lack of access to the Internet and the skills needed to retrieve health information. Of the 25 participants, 64% reported having Internet access at some level, but, only one reported going on the Internet every day. When the barriers to using the Internet were discussed, many participants expressed a lack of knowledge in how to retrieve information. Results of this study further show that having access to technology is not necessarily associated with usage. This dynamic is evolving into a new form of digital divide, gap in information retrieval and usage, versus gap in access. This is the first known study to examine e-Health literacy in an underserved population in Hawai'i. With the proliferation of information and communication technology and the transformation of information retrieval to be mobile and "on demand", a multi-pronged communication and education strategy is needed to explore how technology can improve e-Health literacy and health outcomes among underserved populations.

Examining e-Health Literacy and the Digital Divide in an Underserved Population in Hawai‘i

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Crosby, Martha E

2014-01-01

Seeking health information is one of the leading uses for the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). Research has found the amount one benefits from e-Health information (health information from electronic sources) is directly related to the level of e-Health literacy. e-Health literacy is defined as “the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem.” In order to gain a further understanding of the effects and use of technology, the digital divide, and the relationship between technology utilization and health outcomes, focus group interviews were conducted with participants diagnosed with diabetes and currently residing in a Medically Underserved Area. Overall, 25 volunteers participated in the four focus group meetings. Based on the focus group discussions, a general low e-Health literacy rate was identified. This was demonstrated by the lack of access to the Internet and the skills needed to retrieve health information. Of the 25 participants, 64% reported having Internet access at some level, but, only one reported going on the Internet every day. When the barriers to using the Internet were discussed, many participants expressed a lack of knowledge in how to retrieve information. Results of this study further show that having access to technology is not necessarily associated with usage. This dynamic is evolving into a new form of digital divide, gap in information retrieval and usage, versus gap in access. This is the first known study to examine e-Health literacy in an underserved population in Hawai‘i. With the proliferation of information and communication technology and the transformation of information retrieval to be mobile and “on demand”, a multi-pronged communication and education strategy is needed to explore how technology can improve e-Health literacy and health outcomes among underserved populations. PMID:24567867

Navigating the digital divide: A systematic review of eHealth literacy in underserved populations in the United States.

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Chesser, Amy; Burke, Anne; Reyes, Jared; Rohrberg, Tessa

2016-01-01

eHealth provides an important mechanism to connect medically underserved populations with health information, but little is known about gaps in eHealth literacy research in underserved adult populations within the U.S. Between June and July 2013, three systematic literature reviews of five databases were conducted and a subsequent hand search was completed. Identified literature was screened and studies meeting exclusion and inclusion criteria were synthesized and analyzed for common themes. Of the 221 articles critically appraised, 15 met these criteria. Thirty-five of these studies were excluded due to international origin. Of the articles meeting the inclusion criteria, underserved populations assessed included immigrant women, the elderly, low-income, the un- and underemployed, and African-American and Hispanic populations. eHealth literacy assessments utilized included one or two item screeners, the eHEALS scale, health information competence and cognitive task analysis. Factors examined in relation to eHealth literacy included age, experience, overall health literacy, education, income and culture. The majority did not assess the impact of locality and those that did were predominately urban. These data suggest that there is a gap in the literature regarding eHealth literacy knowledge for underserved populations, and specifically those in rural locations, within the U.S.

eHealth Literacy and Intervention Tailoring Impacts the Acceptability of a HIV/STI Testing Intervention and Sexual Decision Making Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men.

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Horvath, Keith J; Bauermeister, José A

2017-02-01

We assessed whether young men who have sex with men's acceptability with the online Get Connected! intervention and subsequent sexual health decision making were influenced by their baseline eHealth literacy (high vs. low competency) and intervention tailoring (tailored or nontailored intervention condition). Compared to the high eHealth literacy/tailored intervention group: (1) those in the low eHealth literacy/tailored intervention condition and participants in the nontailored intervention condition (regardless of eHealth literacy score) reported lower intervention information quality scores; and (2) those in the low eHealth literacy/nontailored intervention group reported lower intervention system quality scores and that the intervention had less influence on their sexual health decision making. Future similar intervention research should consider how eHealth literacy might influence participants' abilities to navigate intervention content and integrate it into their sexual decision making.

Consumer e-health solutions: the cure for Baumol's disease?

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Brown, Adalsteinn D

2014-01-01

Baumol's disease is the fact that costs in persistently labour-intensive sectors such as healthcare do not drop, despite increased use of technology. The idea of consumer e-health solutions is seductive, because it provides one option for treating Baumol's disease. However, barriers to the implementation of these solutions exist, and the successful treatment of Baumol's disease with consumer e-health solutions rests on more than their removal. In this introduction, the editor-in-chief adds to the conversation four shifts that are critical to reaping the benefits of consumer e-health solutions: moving the focus from privacy to protection; from mere access to the use of information in decision-making; from the patient-provider dyad to one that includes a full formal and informal care team; and from structural solutions in healthcare to ones designed around the goals we have for our health system.

Pediatric injury information seeking for mothers with young children: The role of health literacy and ehealth literacy.

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Manganello, Jennifer A; Falisi, Angela L; Roberts, Kristin J; Smith, Katherine C; McKenzie, Lara B

2016-01-01

An understanding of preferred sources of injury information among parents is needed to develop best practices for information dissemination. Yet, almost no research examines injury information seeking for a national sample of mothers. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2013 with 1081 mothers in the United States (U.S.) with at least one child literacy with the Morris Single-Item Screener (18% low), and eHealth literacy using the eHEALS (28% low). The internet was the most preferred source for injury information (76%), followed by health providers (44%), and family/friends (35%). Most mothers selected the internet as the first choice for information about bicycle helmets (65%) and car seats (63%). For poison prevention, preferences were mixed; 48% internet compared with 41% health providers. Mothers with low health literacy were more likely to have discussed injury prevention with their doctors ( P = 0.022) and searched for injury information ( P = 0.001), but less likely to report the internet as a top source ( P literacy were less likely to search for injury information ( P information ( P = 0.028). Findings suggest the internet is a common source of injury prevention information, but health providers remain a valuable resource for mothers, especially those with lower literacy skills. Despite widespread internet use, health providers should be sure to communicate injury prevention information to mothers, especially those at risk for low health literacy and eHealth literacy.

eHealth literacy and Web 2.0 health information seeking behaviors among baby boomers and older adults.

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Tennant, Bethany; Stellefson, Michael; Dodd, Virginia; Chaney, Beth; Chaney, Don; Paige, Samantha; Alber, Julia

2015-03-17

Baby boomers and older adults, a subset of the population at high risk for chronic disease, social isolation, and poor health outcomes, are increasingly utilizing the Internet and social media (Web 2.0) to locate and evaluate health information. However, among these older populations, little is known about what factors influence their eHealth literacy and use of Web 2.0 for health information. The intent of the study was to explore the extent to which sociodemographic, social determinants, and electronic device use influences eHealth literacy and use of Web 2.0 for health information among baby boomers and older adults. A random sample of baby boomers and older adults (n=283, mean 67.46 years, SD 9.98) participated in a cross-sectional, telephone survey that included the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) and items from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) assessing electronic device use and use of Web 2.0 for health information. An independent samples t test compared eHealth literacy among users and non-users of Web 2.0 for health information. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between sociodemographic, social determinants, and electronic device use on self-reported eHealth literacy and use of Web 2.0 for seeking and sharing health information. Almost 90% of older Web 2.0 users (90/101, 89.1%) reported using popular Web 2.0 websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to find and share health information. Respondents reporting use of Web 2.0 reported greater eHealth literacy (mean 30.38, SD 5.45, n=101) than those who did not use Web 2.0 (mean 28.31, SD 5.79, n=182), t217.60=-2.98, P=.003. Younger age (b=-0.10), more education (b=0.48), and use of more electronic devices (b=1.26) were significantly associated with greater eHealth literacy (R(2) =.17, R(2)adj =.14, F9,229=5.277, Pinformation (OR 2.63, Wald= 8.09, df=1, P=.004). Finally, more education predicted greater use of Web 2.0 for health

Ill Literates or Illiterates? Investigating the eHealth Literacy of Users of Online Health Communities.

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Petrič, Gregor; Atanasova, Sara; Kamin, Tanja

2017-10-04

Electronic health (eHealth) literacy is an important skill that allows patients to navigate intelligibly through the vast, often misleading Web-based world. Although eHealth literacy has been investigated in general and specific demographic populations, it has not yet been analyzed on users of online health communities (OHCs). Evidence shows that OHCs are important Web 2.0 applications for patients for managing their health, but at the same time, warnings have been expressed regarding the quality and relevance of shared information. No studies exist that investigate levels of eHealth literacy among users of OHCs and differences in eHealth literacy between different types of users. The study aimed to investigate eHealth literacy across different types of users of OHCs based on a revised and extended eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS). The study was based on a cross-sectional Web survey on a simple random sample of 15,000 registered users of the most popular general OHC in Slovenia. The final sample comprised 644 users of the studied OHC. An extended eHEALS (eHEALS-E) was tested with factor analytical procedures, whereas user types were identified with a hierarchical clustering algorithm. The research question was analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure and pairwise comparison tests. Factor analysis of the revised and extended eHEALS revealed six dimensions: awareness of sources, recognizing quality and meaning, understanding information, perceived efficiency, validating information, and being smart on the Net. The factor solution demonstrates a good fit to the data (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA]=.059). The most developed dimension of eHEALS-E is awareness of different Internet sources (mean=3.98, standard deviation [SD]=0.61), whereas the least developed is understanding information (mean=3.11, SD=0.75). Clustering resulted in four user types: active help-seekers (48.3%, 311/644), lurkers (31.8%, 205/644), core relational users (16

Internet use and eHealth literacy of low-income parents whose children have special health care needs.

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Knapp, Caprice; Madden, Vanessa; Wang, Hua; Sloyer, Phyllis; Shenkman, Elizabeth

2011-09-29

college graduates were less likely to use the Internet than their referent groups (P children. However, only about one-half (1030/1945) reported that they can tell high quality from low quality resources online or that they feel confident in using information accessed online to make health decisions. Multivariate regression results consistently showed that being a non-English speaker, having less than a high school education, and being older were all significantly associated with lower eHealth literacy (all P parents of children with special health care needs have access to and use the Internet as a source of information about their children's health. However, some parents are unable to distinguish between high and low quality information and are not confident in using the Internet. This information is timely because as the pressure to use the Internet to empower consumers and exchange information increases, issues related to access and disparities must be better understood.

Web-based Health Information Seeking and eHealth Literacy among Patients Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

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Stellefson, Michael L; Shuster, Jonathan J; Chaney, Beth H; Paige, Samantha R; Alber, Julia M; Chaney, J Don; Sriram, P S

2017-09-05

Many people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have low general health literacy; however, there is little information available on these patients' eHealth literacy, or their ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise online health information and apply this knowledge to address or solve disease-related health concerns. A nationally representative sample of patients registered in the COPD Foundation's National Research Registry (N = 1,270) was invited to complete a web-based survey to assess socio-demographic (age, gender, marital status, education), health status (generic and lung-specific health-related quality of life), and socio-cognitive (social support, self-efficacy, COPD knowledge) predictors of eHealth literacy, measured using the 8-item eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS). Over 50% of the respondents (n = 176) were female (n = 89), with a mean age of 66.19 (SD = 9.47). Overall, participants reported moderate levels of eHealth literacy, with more than 70% feeling confident in their ability to find helpful health resources on the Internet. However, respondents were much less confident in their ability to distinguish between high- and low-quality sources of web-based health information. Very severe versus less severe COPD (β = 4.15), lower lung-specific health-related quality of life (β = -0.19), and greater COPD knowledge (β = 0.62) were significantly associated with higher eHealth literacy. Higher COPD knowledge was also significantly associated with greater knowledge (ρ = 0.24, p = .001) and use (ρ = 0.24, p = .001) of web-based health resources. Findings emphasize the importance of integrating skill-building activities into comprehensive patient education programs that enable patients with severe cases of COPD to identify high-quality sources of web-based health information. Additional research is needed to understand how new social technologies can be used to help medically underserved COPD patients

A Model for Usability Evaluation for the Development and Implementation of Consumer eHealth Interventions.

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Parry, David; Carter, Philip; Koziol-McLain, Jane; Feather, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

Consumer eHealth products are often used by people in their own homes or other settings without dedicated clinical supervision, and often with minimal training and limited support--much as eCommerce and eGovernment applications are currently deployed. Internet based self-care systems have been advocated for over a decade as a way to reduce costs and allow more convenient care, and--because of the expectation that they will be used to reduced health cost--, by increasing self-care and avoiding hospitalization. However, the history of consumer eHealth interventions is mixed, with many unsuccessful implementations. Many consumer eHealth products will form part of a broader complex intervention, with many possible benefits and effects on both individuals and society. This poster describes a model of consumer eHealth assessment based on multiple methods of usability evaluation at different stages in the design and fielding of eHealth systems. We argue that different methods of usability evaluation are able to give valuable insights into the likely effects of an intervention in a way that is congruent with software development processes.

Internet use, eHealth literacy and attitudes toward computer/internet among people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a cross-sectional study in two distant European regions.

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Athanasopoulou, Christina; Välimäki, Maritta; Koutra, Katerina; Löttyniemi, Eliisa; Bertsias, Antonios; Basta, Maria; Vgontzas, Alexandros N; Lionis, Christos

2017-09-20

Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders use the Internet for general and health-related purposes. Their ability to find, understand, and apply the health information they acquire online in order to make appropriate health decisions - known as eHealth literacy - has never been investigated. The European agenda strives to limit health inequalities and enhance mental health literacy. Nevertheless, each European member state varies in levels of Internet use and online health information-seeking. This study aimed to examine computer/Internet use for general and health-related purposes, eHealth literacy, and attitudes toward computer/Internet among adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders from two distant European regions. Data were collected from mental health services of psychiatric clinics in Finland (FI) and Greece (GR). A total of 229 patients (FI = 128, GR = 101) participated in the questionnaire survey. The data analysis included evaluation of frequencies and group comparisons with multiple linear and logistic regression models. The majority of Finnish participants were current Internet users (FI = 111, 87%, vs. GR = 33, 33%, P eHealth literacy of Internet users (previous and current Internet users) was found significantly higher in the Finnish group (FI: Mean = 27.05, SD 5.36; GR: Mean = 23.15, SD = 7.23, P eHealth literacy and Interest. The Finnish group of Internet users scored higher in eHealth literacy, while the Greek group of never Internet users had a higher Interest in computer/Internet. eHealth literacy is either moderate (Finnish group) or low (Greek group). Thus, exposure to ICT and eHealth skills training are needed for this population. Recommendations to improve the eHealth literacy and access to health information among these individuals are provided.

eHealth Literacy: Patient Engagement in Identifying Strategies to Encourage Use of Patient Portals Among Older Adults.

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Price-Haywood, Eboni G; Harden-Barrios, Jewel; Ulep, Robin; Luo, Qingyang

2017-12-01

Innovations in chronic disease management are growing rapidly as advancements in technology broaden the scope of tools. Older adults are less likely to be willing or able to use patient portals or smartphone apps for health-related tasks. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of older adults (ages ≥50) with hypertension or diabetes to examine relationships between portal usage, interest in health-tracking tools, and eHealth literacy, and to solicit practical solutions to encourage technology adoption. Among 247 patients surveyed in a large integrated delivery health system between August 2015 and January 2016, eHealth literacy was positively associated with portal usage (OR [95% CI]: 1.3 [1.2-1.5]) and interest in health-tracking tools (1.2 [1.1-1.3]). Portal users compared to nonusers (N = 137 vs.110) had higher rates of interest in using websites/smartphone apps to track blood pressure (55% vs. 36%), weight (53% vs. 35%), exercise (53% vs. 32%), or medication (46% vs 33%, all P marketing initiatives that capture patient stories demonstrating real-life applications of what patients can do with digital technology, how to use it, and why it may be useful. Health systems also must screen for eHealth literacy, provide training, promote proxy users, and institute quality assurance that ensures patients' experiences will not vary across the system.

eHealth Literacy and Intervention Tailoring Impacts the Acceptability of a HIV/STI Testing Intervention and Sexual Decision Making among Young Gay and Bisexual Men

OpenAIRE

Horvath, Keith J.; Bauermeister, José A.

2017-01-01

We assessed whether young men who have sex with men’s acceptability with the online Get Connected! intervention and subsequent sexual health decision making were influenced by their baseline eHealth literacy (high vs. low competency) and intervention tailoring (tailored or non-tailored intervention condition). Participants (n=127) were on average 21 years old, 55% non-Hispanic white, and used the Internet 1–3 hours a day (54%). Compared to the high eHealth literacy/tailored intervention group...

Consumers' Patient Portal Preferences and Health Literacy: A Survey Using Crowdsourcing.

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Zide, Mary; Caswell, Kaitlyn; Peterson, Ellen; Aberle, Denise R; Bui, Alex At; Arnold, Corey W

2016-06-08

eHealth apps have the potential to meet the information needs of patient populations and improve health literacy rates. However, little work has been done to document perceived usability of portals and health literacy of specific topics. Our aim was to establish a baseline of lung cancer health literacy and perceived portal usability. A survey based on previously validated instruments was used to assess a baseline of patient portal usability and health literacy within the domain of lung cancer. The survey was distributed via Amazon's Mechanical Turk to 500 participants. Our results show differences in preferences and literacy by demographic cohorts, with a trend of chronically ill patients having a more positive reception of patient portals and a higher health literacy rate of lung cancer knowledge (Pportals and higher level of health literacy within the domain of lung cancer.

Validity and Reliability of the Iranian Version of eHealth Literacy Scale

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Soheila Bazm

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Introduction:  The eHEALS is an 8-item measure of eHealth literacy developed to measure consumers’ combined knowledge, comfort, and perceived skills at finding, evaluating, and applying electronic health information to health problems. The current study aims to measure validity and reliability of the Iranian version of eHEALS questionnaire in a population context. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 525 youths people who has been chosen randomly in Iran, Yazd. We determined content validity, construct validity and predictive validity of the translated questionnaire. Principal components factor analysis was used to determine the theoretical fit of the measures with the data. The internal consistency of the translated questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach α coefficient. The results were analyzed in SPSSv16. Results: The principal component analysis (PCA produced a single factor solution (70.48% of variance with factor loading ranging from 0.723 to 0.862. The internal consistency of the scale was sufficient (alpha=0.88 , P<0.001 and the test-retest coefficients for the items were reliable (r= 0.96, P<0.001. Discussion: The results of the study showed that the items in the translated questionnaire were equivalent to the original scale .The version of the eHEALS questionnaire showed both good reliability and validity for the screening of eHealth literacy of Iranian people.

Using diffusion of innovation theory to understand the factors impacting patient acceptance and use of consumer e-health innovations: a case study in a primary care clinic.

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Zhang, Xiaojun; Yu, Ping; Yan, Jun; Ton A M Spil, Ir

2015-02-21

Consumer e-Health is a potential solution to the problems of accessibility, quality and costs of delivering public healthcare services to patients. Although consumer e-Health has proliferated in recent years, it remains unclear if patients are willing and able to accept and use this new and rapidly developing technology. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study the factors influencing patients' acceptance and usage of consumer e-health innovations. A simple but typical consumer e-health innovation--an e-appointment scheduling service--was developed and implemented in a primary health care clinic in a regional town in Australia. A longitudinal case study was undertaken for 29 months after system implementation. The major factors influencing patients' acceptance and use of the e-appointment service were examined through the theoretical lens of Rogers' innovation diffusion theory. Data were collected from the computer log records of 25,616 patients who visited the medical centre in the entire study period, and from in-depth interviews with 125 patients. The study results show that the overall adoption rate of the e-appointment service increased slowly from 1.5% at 3 months after implementation, to 4% at 29 months, which means only the 'innovators' had used this new service. The majority of patients did not adopt this innovation. The factors contributing to the low the adoption rate were: (1) insufficient communication about the e-appointment service to the patients, (2) lack of value of the e-appointment service for the majority of patients who could easily make phone call-based appointment, and limitation of the functionality of the e-appointment service, (3) incompatibility of the new service with the patients' preference for oral communication with receptionists, and (4) the limitation of the characteristics of the patients, including their low level of Internet literacy, lack of access to a computer or the Internet at home, and a lack of experience with

eHealth Literacy and Health Behaviors Affecting Modern College Students: A Pilot Study of Issues Identified by the American College Health Association

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Collins, William Bart; Wilson, Kari; Linnemeier, Georgiann; Englebert, Andrew Mark

2017-01-01

Background The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has been widely adopted by researchers to understand how eHealth literacy can be put into context. eHealth researchers need to know how to promote positive health behavior changes across college students, given the importance of the Internet to acquire and use health information. The American College Health Association identified a set of key health issues that affect college students today. By understanding how eHEALS might be related to college students’ maintenance of their health and their use of online health resources, researchers will be provided with a better understanding of eHealth literacy and its pragmatic implications for health campaigns and future interventions. Objective The goal of the study was to examine what eHEALS reveals about college student health behaviors identified by the American College Health Association. To understand college student current health maintenance and their intentions to maintain their health and use online resources, the theory of planned behavior was used as the theoretical framework for the study. Methods Data were collected via a survey of 422 college students that included the eHEALS measure and questions about health issues based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association. These questions asked about college student current health, subsequent use of online health resources, and their intention to maintain their health and make use of such resources in the future. Results eHEALS was positively and significantly associated with all 8 areas of health issues identified by the American College Health Association for college student current maintenance of health and use of online health resources and for future intention of health maintenance and use of online resources. Key issues that emerged with eHealth literacy were maintaining safe sex practices and seeking out related information, seeking out information on an exercise regime, information on

Teaching about Starbucks and Consumer Literacy

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Malczewski, Joan; Plafker-Gutt, Debra; Cohen, Robert

2011-01-01

One of the great challenges social studies teachers face is promoting economic and consumer literacy among their students. Fostering such literacy helps students to think critically and independently about their own roles as consumers as well as about the claims and promises the corporate world makes through mass advertising and the branding of…

eHealth Literacy and Health Behaviors Affecting Modern College Students: A Pilot Study of Issues Identified by the American College Health Association.

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Britt, Rebecca Katherine; Collins, William Bart; Wilson, Kari; Linnemeier, Georgiann; Englebert, Andrew Mark

2017-12-19

The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has been widely adopted by researchers to understand how eHealth literacy can be put into context. eHealth researchers need to know how to promote positive health behavior changes across college students, given the importance of the Internet to acquire and use health information. The American College Health Association identified a set of key health issues that affect college students today. By understanding how eHEALS might be related to college students' maintenance of their health and their use of online health resources, researchers will be provided with a better understanding of eHealth literacy and its pragmatic implications for health campaigns and future interventions. The goal of the study was to examine what eHEALS reveals about college student health behaviors identified by the American College Health Association. To understand college student current health maintenance and their intentions to maintain their health and use online resources, the theory of planned behavior was used as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected via a survey of 422 college students that included the eHEALS measure and questions about health issues based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association. These questions asked about college student current health, subsequent use of online health resources, and their intention to maintain their health and make use of such resources in the future. eHEALS was positively and significantly associated with all 8 areas of health issues identified by the American College Health Association for college student current maintenance of health and use of online health resources and for future intention of health maintenance and use of online resources. Key issues that emerged with eHealth literacy were maintaining safe sex practices and seeking out related information, seeking out information on an exercise regime, information on vaccinations, and maintaining a balanced

Reliability and Validity of the Telephone-Based eHealth Literacy Scale Among Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Survey.

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Stellefson, Michael; Paige, Samantha R; Tennant, Bethany; Alber, Julia M; Chaney, Beth H; Chaney, Don; Grossman, Suzanne

2017-10-26

Only a handful of studies have examined reliability and validity evidence of scores produced by the 8-item eHealth literacy Scale (eHEALS) among older adults. Older adults are generally more comfortable responding to survey items when asked by a real person rather than by completing self-administered paper-and-pencil or online questionnaires. However, no studies have explored the psychometrics of this scale when administered to older adults over the telephone. The objective of our study was to examine the reliability and internal structure of eHEALS data collected from older adults aged 50 years or older responding to items over the telephone. Respondents (N=283) completed eHEALS as part of a cross-sectional landline telephone survey. Exploratory structural equation modeling (E-SEM) analyses examined model fit of eHEALS scores with 1-, 2-, and 3-factor structures. Subsequent analyses based on the partial credit model explored the internal structure of eHEALS data. Compared with 1- and 2-factor models, the 3-factor eHEALS structure showed the best global E-SEM model fit indices (root mean square error of approximation=.07; comparative fit index=1.0; Tucker-Lewis index=1.0). Nonetheless, the 3 factors were highly correlated (r range .36 to .65). Item analyses revealed that eHEALS items 2 through 5 were overfit to a minor degree (mean square infit/outfit values information for respondents at similar points on the latent continuum. Test information curves suggested that eHEALS may capture more information about older adults at the higher end of the latent continuum (ie, those with high eHealth literacy) than at the lower end of the continuum (ie, those with low eHealth literacy). Item reliability (value=.92) and item separation (value=11.31) estimates indicated that eHEALS responses were reliable and stable. Results support administering eHEALS over the telephone when surveying older adults regarding their use of the Internet for health information. eHEALS scores best

Consumer Use of "Dr Google": A Survey on Health Information-Seeking Behaviors and Navigational Needs.

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Lee, Kenneth; Hoti, Kreshnik; Hughes, Jeffery David; Emmerton, Lynne M

2015-12-29

The Internet provides a platform to access health information and support self-management by consumers with chronic health conditions. Despite recognized barriers to accessing Web-based health information, there is a lack of research quantitatively exploring whether consumers report difficulty finding desired health information on the Internet and whether these consumers would like assistance (ie, navigational needs). Understanding navigational needs can provide a basis for interventions guiding consumers to quality Web-based health resources. We aimed to (1) estimate the proportion of consumers with navigational needs among seekers of Web-based health information with chronic health conditions, (2) describe Web-based health information-seeking behaviors, level of patient activation, and level of eHealth literacy among consumers with navigational needs, and (3) explore variables predicting navigational needs. A questionnaire was developed based on findings from a qualitative study on Web-based health information-seeking behaviors and navigational needs. This questionnaire also incorporated the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS; a measure of self-perceived eHealth literacy) and PAM-13 (a measure of patient activation). The target population was consumers of Web-based health information with chronic health conditions. We surveyed a sample of 400 Australian adults, with recruitment coordinated by Qualtrics. This sample size was required to estimate the proportion of consumers identified with navigational needs with a precision of 4.9% either side of the true population value, with 95% confidence. A subsample was invited to retake the survey after 2 weeks to assess the test-retest reliability of the eHEALS and PAM-13. Of 514 individuals who met our eligibility criteria, 400 (77.8%) completed the questionnaire and 43 participants completed the retest. Approximately half (51.3%; 95% CI 46.4-56.2) of the population was identified with navigational needs. Participants with

Harnessing the Web: How E-Health and E-Health Literacy Impact Young Adults' Perceptions of Online Health Information.

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Briones, Rowena

2015-12-31

The rise of technology has changed how people take control of their health, enabling individuals to choose to live healthier lives and make better treatment decisions. With this said, the Internet has emerged as the channel used by individuals for actively seeking or passively receiving health information. To explore how young adults assess the quality of health information, and how they construct meaning of online health information in general. Through 50 in-depth interviews, this study aims to examine how and why young adults turn to the Web for health information, and what strategies they employ to ensure that they are getting credible information. A total of 50 in-depth interviews were conducted with young adults to explore how they make meaning of online health information. Depending on the geographic area of the participant, the interview took place face-to-face at a location convenient for them, over Skype, or over the telephone and lasted on average 40 minutes. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, fully retaining the speech style of the moderator and the participants. Data were analyzed using techniques from the grounded theory approach, using a constant comparative method to allow for themes to emerge from the transcripts. The participants shared several benefits to this mode of health information seeking, claiming that it made for more productive visits with doctors and made health information more readily accessible through a variety of different formats. Additionally, the participants demonstrated their e-health literacy levels by discussing how they assessed online health information, engaging in a series of strategies that encompassed different aspects of e-health literacy. Social media channels were brought up by the participants as relatively new tools that can be used to assist in the seeking, understanding, and sharing of health information. However, participants also cautioned about the use of social media in regards to its informal nature

National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework

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Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

This document is a revised version of the National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework (the Framework) originally developed in 2005. It articulates a rationale for consumer and financial education in Australian schools; describes essential consumer and financial capabilities that will support lifelong learning; and provides guidance on how…

Credit counseling: a substitute for consumer financial literacy?

OpenAIRE

Disney, Richard; Gathergood, John; Weber, Jörg

2015-01-01

Is financial literacy a substitute or complement for financial advice? In this paper we analyze the decision by consumers to seek financial advice in the form of credit counseling concerning their credit and debt. Credit counseling is an important component of the consumer credit sector for consumers facing debt problems. We combine instrumental variable approaches to account for the endogeneity of an individual’s financial situation to financial literacy, and the endogeneity of financial lit...

The Association of Health Literacy and Electronic Health Literacy With Self-Efficacy, Coping, and Caregiving Perceptions Among Carers of People With Dementia: Research Protocol for a Descriptive Correlational Study.

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Efthymiou, Areti; Middleton, Nicos; Charalambous, Andreas; Papastavrou, Evridiki

2017-11-13

In the last decade, electronic health (eHealth) literacy has attracted the attention of the scientific community, as it is associated with the self-management of patients with chronic diseases and the quality and cost of care. It is estimated that 80% of people with chronic diseases are cared for at home by a family member, friend, or relative. Informal carers are susceptible to physical and mental health problems, as well as social and financial hardships. Nevertheless, there seems to be a research gap in terms of carers' needs, skills, and available resources in the age of new technologies, with the vital role of eHealth literacy of the carers remaining unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of eHealth literacy and health literacy of primary and secondary carers of people with dementia, to explore the association between health and eHealth literacy, as well as their association with the caregiving variables: self-efficacy, coping, and caring perceptions. A sample of 200 primary carers (the carer who supports the people with dementia in everyday living) and 200 secondary carers (family member, friend, or other person in the social network assisting the primary carer in their role) will be recruited from dementia day care centers and Alzheimer's associations in Greece and Cyprus. The study will be a cross-sectional correlational descriptive study. Tools to be used include the eHealth Literacy Scale adapted for carers to measure eHealth literacy, European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire 16 (HLS-EU-Q16), Single Item Literacy Screener, Revised Scale for Caregiving Self-Efficacy, Carers of Older People in Europe (COPE) index for caregiving perceptions, and COPE brief to measure selected coping strategies. Descriptive statistics will be reported, and correlations between different variables will be explored with parametric and nonparametric measures. As a preliminary study, the HLS-EU-Q16 has been validated in 107 older people. The internal

Consumer Adoption of Future MyData-Based Preventive eHealth Services: An Acceptance Model and Survey Study.

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Koivumäki, Timo; Pekkarinen, Saara; Lappi, Minna; Väisänen, Jere; Juntunen, Jouni; Pikkarainen, Minna

2017-12-22

Constantly increasing health care costs have led countries and health care providers to the point where health care systems must be reinvented. Consequently, electronic health (eHealth) has recently received a great deal of attention in social sciences in the domain of Internet studies. However, only a fraction of these studies focuses on the acceptability of eHealth, making consumers' subjective evaluation an understudied field. This study will address this gap by focusing on the acceptance of MyData-based preventive eHealth services from the consumer point of view. We are adopting the term "MyData", which according to a White Paper of the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communication refers to "1) a new approach, a paradigm shift in personal data management and processing that seeks to transform the current organization centric system to a human centric system, 2) to personal data as a resource that the individual can access and control." The aim of this study was to investigate what factors influence consumers' intentions to use a MyData-based preventive eHealth service before use. We applied a new adoption model combining Venkatesh's unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) in a consumer context and three constructs from health behavior theories, namely threat appraisals, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers. To test the research model, we applied structural equation modeling (SEM) with Mplus software, version 7.4. A Web-based survey was administered. We collected 855 responses. We first applied traditional SEM for the research model, which was not statistically significant. We then tested for possible heterogeneity in the data by running a mixture analysis. We found that heterogeneity was not the cause for the poor performance of the research model. Thus, we moved on to model-generating SEM and ended up with a statistically significant empirical model (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] 0.051, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] 0

Using diffusion of innovation theory to understand the factors impacting patient acceptance and use of consumer e-health innovations: a case study in a primary care clinic

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Zhang, Xiaojun; Yu, Ping; Yan, Jun; Spil, Antonius A.M.

2015-01-01

Background Consumer e-Health is a potential solution to the problems of accessibility, quality and costs of delivering public healthcare services to patients. Although consumer e-Health has proliferated in recent years, it remains unclear if patients are willing and able to accept and use this new

Youth engagement in eMental health literacy

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Charlene King

2015-12-01

Full Text Available There is growing recognition of the important role that eHealth Literacy strategies play in promoting mental health among youth populations. At the same time, youth engagement in mental health literacy initiatives is increasingly seen as a promising practice for improving health literacy and reducing stigma. The Health Literacy Team at BC Children’s Hospital uses a variety of strategies to engage youth in the development, implementation and dissemination of eMental Health Literacy resources. This paper reviews the evidence that supports the use of eHealth strategies for youth mental health promotion; describes the methods used by the Team to meaningfully engage youth in these processes; and evaluates them against three popular frameworks for youth participation and empowerment. The findings suggest that the Team is successfully offering opportunities for independent youth involvement, positively impacting project outcomes, and fostering youth empowerment. The Team could further contribute to the positive development of youth by creating more opportunities for youth-adult collaboration on eHealth Literacy initiatives.

Exploring antecedents of consumer satisfaction and repeated search behavior on e-health information.

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Lee, Yun Jung; Park, Jungkun; Widdows, Richard

2009-03-01

E-health information has become an important resource for people seeking health information. Even though many studies have been conducted to examine the quality of e-health information, only a few studies have explored the effects of the information seekers' motivations on the perceived quality of e-health information. There is even less information about repeated searches for e-health information after the users' initial experience of e-health information use. Using an online survey of information seekers, 252 e-health information users' responses were collected. The research examines the relationship among motivation, perceived quality, satisfaction, and intention to repeat-search e-health information. The results identify motivations to search e-health information and confirm the relationship among motivation, perceived quality dimensions, and satisfaction and intention to repeat searches for e-health information.

Exploring the Measurement Properties of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) Among Baby Boomers: A Multinational Test of Measurement Invariance.

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Sudbury-Riley, Lynn; FitzPatrick, Mary; Schulz, Peter J

2017-02-27

The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) is one of only a few available measurement scales to assess eHealth literacy. Perhaps due to the relative paucity of such measures and the rising importance of eHealth literacy, the eHEALS is increasingly a choice for inclusion in a range of studies across different groups, cultures, and nations. However, despite its growing popularity, questions have been raised over its theoretical foundations, and the factorial validity and multigroup measurement properties of the scale are yet to be investigated fully. The objective of our study was to examine the factorial validity and measurement invariance of the eHEALS among baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand who had used the Internet to search for health information in the last 6 months. Online questionnaires collected data from a random sample of baby boomers from the 3 countries of interest. The theoretical underpinning to eHEALS comprises social cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory. Close scrutiny of eHEALS with analysis of these theories suggests a 3-factor structure to be worth investigating, which has never before been explored. Structural equation modeling tested a 3-factor structure based on the theoretical underpinning to eHEALS and investigated multinational measurement invariance of the eHEALS. We collected responses (N=996) to the questionnaires using random samples from the 3 countries. Results suggest that the eHEALS comprises a 3-factor structure with a measurement model that falls within all relevant fit indices (root mean square error of approximation, RMSEA=.041, comparative fit index, CFI=.986). Additionally, the scale demonstrates metric invariance (RMSEA=.040, CFI=.984, ΔCFI=.002) and even scalar invariance (RMSEA=.042, CFI=.978, ΔCFI=.008). To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate multigroup factorial equivalence of the eHEALS, and did so based on data from 3 diverse nations and

New food product consumer's behaviour: Health literacy and neophobia

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Luis Soares Luis

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background The development of a new food product aims to respond to consumer ́s concerns related to food and health promotion. Education plays a fundamental role in consumer’s behavior by providing tools that allows them to make informed decisions. Consumer’s empowerment is essential to the success of a health promotion strategy, also the knowledge of health literacy level is important to define a proper health policy. The aim of this study is to evaluate health literacy level and new foods consumption behavior (especially neophobic and neophilic behavior of the Lisbon area residents in Portugal. Methods A questionnaire, that includes the Portuguese version of the Newest Vital Sign, was applied to a stratified sample of 384 individuals (over 15 years old living in the Lisbon area in Portugal distributed accordingly to 2001 Census. Health literacy was evaluated by the Portuguese version of NVS, a tool by which a number of health-related information, in this case nutritional information written in a food label, is used to demonstrate one’s ability to use it to answer to questions. Data analysis was performed in SPSS®, version 19. Results Study results show that there is a close relationship between health literacy and general literacy. It is also clear that health literacy level is low for the majority of the participants and that this factor is relevant in new foods consumption, by positively affecting neophilia. Older individuals, with lower school years attendance and health literacy, are the main consumers with neophobic behavior. Higher health literacy is also directly associated with consumers concerns on how the product was manufactured and on environmental characteristics. There is no statistical association between gender and health literacy, but it is of relevance the fact that an association between health literacy and food neophilia is statistically significant. Conclusion Considering that new food products may improve health

Health Information Needs and Reliability of Sources Among Nondegree Health Sciences Students: A Prerequisite for Designing eHealth Literacy.

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Haruna, Hussein; Tshuma, Ndumiso; Hu, Xiao

Understanding health information needs and health-seeking behavior is a prerequisite for developing an electronic health information literacy (EHIL) or eHealth literacy program for nondegree health sciences students. At present, interest in researching health information needs and reliable sources paradigms has gained momentum in many countries. However, most studies focus on health professionals and students in higher education institutions. The present study was aimed at providing new insight and filling the existing gap by examining health information needs and reliability of sources among nondegree health sciences students in Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 conveniently selected health training institutions, where 403 health sciences students were participated. Thirty health sciences students were both purposely and conveniently chosen from each health-training institution. The selected students were pursuing nursing and midwifery, clinical medicine, dentistry, environmental health sciences, pharmacy, and medical laboratory sciences courses. Involved students were either in their first year, second year, or third year of study. Health sciences students' health information needs focus on their educational requirements, clinical practice, and personal information. They use print, human, and electronic health information. They lack eHealth research skills in navigating health information resources and have insufficient facilities for accessing eHealth information, a lack of specialists in health information, high costs for subscription electronic information, and unawareness of the availability of free Internet and other online health-related databases. This study found that nondegree health sciences students have limited skills in EHIL. Thus, designing and incorporating EHIL skills programs into the curriculum of nondegree health sciences students is vital. EHIL is a requirement common to all health settings, learning environments, and

Analysis of ehealth search perspectives among female college students in the health professions using Q methodology.

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Stellefson, Michael; Hanik, Bruce; Chaney, J Don; Tennant, Bethany

2012-04-27

The current "Millennial Generation" of college students majoring in the health professions has unprecedented access to the Internet. Although some research has been initiated among medical professionals to investigate the cognitive basis for health information searches on the Internet, little is known about Internet search practices among health and medical professional students. To systematically identify health professional college student perspectives of personal eHealth search practices. Q methodology was used to examine subjective perspectives regarding personal eHealth search practices among allied health students majoring in a health education degree program. Thirteen (n = 13) undergraduate students were interviewed about their attitudes and experiences conducting eHealth searches. From the interviews, 36 statements were used in a structured ranking task to identify clusters and determine which specific perceptions of eHealth search practices discriminated students into different groups. Scores on an objective measure of eHealth literacy were used to help categorize participant perspectives. Q-technique factor analysis of the rankings identified 3 clusters of respondents with differing views on eHealth searches that generally coincided with participants' objective eHealth literacy scores. The proficient resourceful students (pattern/structure coefficient range 0.56-0.80) described themselves as using multiple resources to obtain eHealth information, as opposed to simply relying on Internet search engines. The intermediate reluctant students (pattern/structure coefficient range 0.75-0.90) reported engaging only Internet search engines to locate eHealth information, citing undeveloped evaluation skills when considering sources of information located on the Internet. Both groups of advanced students reported not knowing how to use Boolean operators to conduct Internet health searches. The basic hubristic students (pattern/structure coefficient range 0

A Multidimensional Tool Based on the eHealth Literacy Framework: Development and Initial Validity Testing of the eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ).

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Kayser, Lars; Karnoe, Astrid; Furstrand, Dorthe; Batterham, Roy; Christensen, Karl Bang; Elsworth, Gerald; Osborne, Richard H

2018-02-12

For people to be able to access, understand, and benefit from the increasing digitalization of health services, it is critical that services are provided in a way that meets the user's needs, resources, and competence. The objective of the study was to develop a questionnaire that captures the 7-dimensional eHealth Literacy Framework (eHLF). Draft items were created in parallel in English and Danish. The items were generated from 450 statements collected during the conceptual development of eHLF. In all, 57 items (7 to 9 items per scale) were generated and adjusted after cognitive testing. Items were tested in 475 people recruited from settings in which the scale was intended to be used (community and health care settings) and including people with a range of chronic conditions. Measurement properties were assessed using approaches from item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT) such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and reliability using composite scale reliability (CSR); potential bias due to age and sex was evaluated using differential item functioning (DIF). CFA confirmed the presence of the 7 a priori dimensions of eHLF. Following item analysis, a 35-item 7-scale questionnaire was constructed, covering (1) using technology to process health information (5 items, CSR=.84), (2) understanding of health concepts and language (5 items, CSR=.75), (3) ability to actively engage with digital services (5 items, CSR=.86), (4) feel safe and in control (5 items, CSR=.87), (5) motivated to engage with digital services (5 items, CSR=.84), (6) access to digital services that work (6 items, CSR=.77), and (7) digital services that suit individual needs (4 items, CSR=.85). A 7-factor CFA model, using small-variance priors for cross-loadings and residual correlations, had a satisfactory fit (posterior productive P value: .27, 95% CI for the difference between the observed and replicated chi-square values: -63.7 to 133.8). The CFA showed that all items loaded

Influence of scientific-technical literacy on consumers' behavioural intentions regarding new food.

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Rodríguez-Entrena, Macario; Salazar-Ordóñez, Melania

2013-01-01

The application of genetic engineering to agriculture has led to an important and controversial innovation in the food sector, so-called Genetically Modified (GM) food. A great deal of literature has studied cognitive and attitudinal factors conditioning consumers' acceptance of GM food, knowledge being one of the most inconsistent variables. Notwithstanding, some authors suggest closer attention should be paid to "science literacy", even more so than knowledge. This paper studies the potential role of consumer literacy fields - i.e. consumer scientific-technical or social-humanistic literacy - in determining consumer choice behaviour towards GM foods. We analyse the strength of the moderating effects produced by consumer university training in some of the most important factors which influence consumers' innovative product acceptance, such as perceived benefits and risks, attitudes to GM technology, trust in institutions or knowledge. The research is performed in southern Spain, using a variance-based technique called Structural Equation Modelling by Partial Least Squares (PLSs). The results show that perceived benefits and risks play a significant role in shaping behavioural intentions towards GM food, the attitude to GM technology being the main driver of consumers' beliefs about risks and benefits. Additionally, behavioural intentions display some differences between the scientific-technical and social-humanistic literacy fields, the variables of trust in institutions and knowledge registering the most striking differences. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of eHealth Search Perspectives Among Female College Students in the Health Professions Using Q Methodology

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Hanik, Bruce; Chaney, J. Don; Tennant, Bethany

2012-01-01

Background The current “Millennial Generation” of college students majoring in the health professions has unprecedented access to the Internet. Although some research has been initiated among medical professionals to investigate the cognitive basis for health information searches on the Internet, little is known about Internet search practices among health and medical professional students. Objective To systematically identify health professional college student perspectives of personal eHealth search practices. Methods Q methodology was used to examine subjective perspectives regarding personal eHealth search practices among allied health students majoring in a health education degree program. Thirteen (n = 13) undergraduate students were interviewed about their attitudes and experiences conducting eHealth searches. From the interviews, 36 statements were used in a structured ranking task to identify clusters and determine which specific perceptions of eHealth search practices discriminated students into different groups. Scores on an objective measure of eHealth literacy were used to help categorize participant perspectives. Results Q-technique factor analysis of the rankings identified 3 clusters of respondents with differing views on eHealth searches that generally coincided with participants’ objective eHealth literacy scores. The proficient resourceful students (pattern/structure coefficient range 0.56-0.80) described themselves as using multiple resources to obtain eHealth information, as opposed to simply relying on Internet search engines. The intermediate reluctant students (pattern/structure coefficient range 0.75-0.90) reported engaging only Internet search engines to locate eHealth information, citing undeveloped evaluation skills when considering sources of information located on the Internet. Both groups of advanced students reported not knowing how to use Boolean operators to conduct Internet health searches. The basic hubristic students

Ready for eHealth? Health Professionals' Acceptance and Adoption of eHealth Interventions in Inpatient Routine Care.

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Hennemann, Severin; Beutel, Manfred E; Zwerenz, Rüdiger

2017-03-01

eHealth interventions can be effective in treating health problems. However, adoption in inpatient routine care seems limited. The present study therefore aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators to acceptance of eHealth interventions and of online aftercare in particular in health professionals of inpatient treatment. A total of 152 out of 287 health professionals of various professional groups in four inpatient rehabilitation facilities filled out a self-administered web-based questionnaire (response rate: 53%); 128 individuals were eligible for further data analysis. Acceptance and possible predictors were investigated with a complex research model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Acceptance of eHealth interventions was rather low (M = 2.47, SD = 0.98); however, acceptance of online aftercare was moderate (M = 3.08, SD = 0.96, t(127) = 8.22, p eHealth literacy was elevated. Social influence, performance expectancy, and treatment-related internet and mobile use significantly predicted overall acceptance. No differences were found between professional and age groups. Although acceptance of eHealth interventions was limited in health professionals of inpatient treatment, moderate acceptance of online aftercare for work-related stress implies a basis for future implementation. Tailored eHealth education addressing misconceptions about inferiority and incongruity with conventional treatment considering the systemic aspect of acceptance formation are needed.

E-Health Literacy and Health Information Seeking Behavior Among University Students in Bangladesh.

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Islam, Md Mohaimenul; Touray, Musa; Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Poly, Tahmina Nasrin; Nguyen, Phung-Anh; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack; Syed Abdul, Shabbir

2017-01-01

Web 2.0 has become a leading health communication platform and will continue to attract young users; therefore, the objective of this study was to understand the impact of Web 2.0 on health information seeking behavior among university students in Bangladesh. A random sample of adults (n = 199, mean 23.75 years, SD 2.87) participated in a cross-sectional, a survey that included the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) assessed use of Web 2.0 for health information. Collected data were analyzed using a descriptive statistical method and t-tests. Finally logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between sociodemographic, social determinants, and use of Web 2.0 for seeking and sharing health information. Almost 74% of older Web 2.0 users (147/199, 73.9%) reported using popular Web 2.0 websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to find and share health information. Current study support that current Web-based health information seeking and sharing behaviors influence health-related decision making.

A health literacy and usability heuristic evaluation of a mobile consumer health application.

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Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre

2013-01-01

Usability and health literacy are two critical factors in the design and evaluation of consumer health information systems. However, methods for evaluating these two factors in conjunction remain limited. This study adapted a set of existing guidelines for the design of consumer health Web sites into evidence-based evaluation heuristics tailored specifically for mobile consumer health applications. In order to test the approach, a mobile consumer health application (app) was then evaluated using these heuristics. In addition to revealing ways to improve the usability of the system, this analysis identified opportunities to augment the content to make it more understandable by users with limited health literacy. This study successfully demonstrated the utility of converting existing design guidelines into heuristics for the evaluation of usability and health literacy. The heuristics generated could be applied for assessing and revising other existing consumer health information systems.

Adopting customers' empowerment and social networks to encourage participations in e-health services.

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Anshari, Muhammad; Almunawar, Mohammad Nabil; Low, Patrick Kim Cheng; Wint, Zaw; Younis, Mustafa Z

2013-01-01

The aim of this article is to present an e-health model that embeds empowerment and social network intervention that may extend the role of customers in health care settings. A 25-item Likert-type survey instrument was specifically developed for this study and administered to a sample of 108 participants in Indonesia from October to November 2012. The data were analyzed to provide ideas on how to move forward with the e-health initiative as a means to improve e-health services. The survey revealed that there is a high demand for customers' empowerment and involvement in social networks to improve their health literacy and customer satisfaction. Regardless of the limitations of the study, the participants have responded with great support for the abilities of the prototype systems drawn from the survey. The survey results were used as requirements to develop a system prototype that incorporates the expectations of the people. The prototype (namely Clinic 2.0) was derived from the model and confirmed from the survey. Participants were selected to use the system for three months, after which we measured its impact towards their health literacy and customer satisfaction. The results show that the system intervention through Clinic 2.0 leads to a high level of customer satisfaction and health literacy.

Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults

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... Health Promotion Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults skip to content ODPHP Health Communication Healthy People ... and Patient e-Health Resources Health Literacy and Older Adults Who is this guide for? Why are health ...

Personal Biometric Information from Wearable Technology Tracked and Followed Using an ePortfolio: A Case Study of eHealth Literacy Development with Emerging Technology in Hong Kong Higher Education

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Notari, Michele; Sobko, Tanja; Churchill, Daniel

2016-01-01

In this paper we will show our research approach and discuss potential outcomes. The research project started in January 2016. To understand eHealth literacy development in higher education in Hong Kong, the researchers will conduct a multiple case study including 20 students from an undergraduate course. Each of them will use a wearable device…

Acceptance by laypersons and medical professionals of the personalized eHealth platform, eHealthMonitor.

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Griebel, Lena; Kolominsky-Rabas, Peter; Schaller, Sandra; Siudyka, Jakub; Sierpinski, Radoslaw; Papapavlou, Dimitrios; Simeonidou, Aliki; Prokosch, Hans-Ulrich; Sedlmayr, Martin

2017-09-01

Often, eHealth services are not accepted because of factors such as eHealth literacy or trust. Within this study, eHealthMonitor was evaluated in three European countries (Germany, Greece, and Poland) by medical professionals and laypersons with respect to numerous acceptance factors. Questionnaires were created on the basis of factors from literature and with the help of scales which have already been validated. A qualitative survey was conducted in Germany, Poland, and Greece. The eHealth literacy of all participants was medium/high. Laypersons mostly agreed that they could easily become skillful with eHealthMonitor and that other people thought that they should use eHealthMonitor. Amongst medical professionals, a large number were afraid that eHealthMonitor could violate their privacy or the privacy of their patients. Overall, the participants thought that eHealthMonitor was a good concept and that they would use it. The main hindrances to the use of eHealthMonitor were found in trust issues including data privacy. In the future, more research on the linkage of all measured factors is needed, for example, to address the question of whether highly educated people tend to mistrust eHealth information more than people with lower levels of education.

Educational content and health literacy issues in direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals.

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Mackert, Michael; Love, Brad

2011-01-01

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertisements have been analyzed in many ways, but richer conceptualizations of health literacy have been largely absent from this research. With approximately half of U.S. adults struggling to understand health information, it is important to consider consumers' health literacy when analyzing DTC advertisements. This project, framed by the health belief model, analyzed 82 advertisements. Advertisements provided some kinds of educational content (e.g., drugs' medical benefits) but typically failed to offer other useful information (e.g., other strategies for dealing with conditions). Issues likely to be barriers to low health literate consumers, such as nonstandard text formatting, are common.

Consumer Health Informatics in the Context of Engaged Citizens and eHealth Services - A New CHI Meta Model.

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Wiesner, Martin; Griebel, Lena; Becker, Kurt; Pobiruchin, Monika

2016-01-01

Consumer Health Informatics (CHI) is a relatively new and interdisciplinary field in Medical Informatics. It focuses on consumer- rather than professional-centered services. However, the definitions and understanding of a) what is a "consumer"? or b) what is health technology in the context of CHI? and c) what factors and actors influence the usage of eHealth services? vary widely. The CHI special interest group (SIG) - associated with the German Association for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology - conducted two workshops in 2015 to improve the common understanding on these topics. The workshop outcomes, the derived CHI-specific meta model and examples how to apply this model are presented in this paper. The model supports the definition of multi-actor contexts, as it not solely reflects the conventional patient-physician relationship but also allows for the description of second health market providers.

Collaborative Learning is an Effective Method for Improving the E-health Literacy of Older Adults in the Community. A Review of: Xie, B. (2011. Older adults, e-health literacy, and collaborative learning: An experimental study. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 62(5, 933-946. doi: 10.1002/asi.21507

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Theresa S. Arndt

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective – To determine whether collaborative learning strategies in an informal class setting can improve electronic health literacy skills of older adults.Design – Pre- and post-test instruments used to measure effects of an educational intervention.Setting – Small group classes offered at two branches of a large, publicly funded, urban public library in Maryland.Subjects – A total of 111 adults aged 52 to 91, mean age 70.4 (SD 8.0, completed the study. The majority of participants were from minority populations (66% African American, 3% Latino, 3% Asian. Thirty three percent of participants reported an annual household income below $20,000. Eight percent were non-native English speakers. The majority of participants had low-level or no computer/Internet experience prior to the study.Methods – Collaborative learning strategies were used in small group hands-on computer classes to deliver a standardized curriculum (Helping Older Adults Search for Health Information Online: A Toolkit for Trainers from the National Institute on Aging. Strategies employed were: explicit statement of group/participatory nature of class, periodic peer shared reflection times during class, active encouragement of discussion between peers, hands-on work with partners, group discussion of real-life questions from participants, and structured shared reflection time at the close of each session. Participants were recruited through local advertisements. No incentive other than the free classes was offered. Groups met for two hours, twice a week for four weeks. Assessment was via pre and post-tests. General computing knowledge/skills were measured using objective tests of abilities. Questions from several established scales were adapted for additional assessment. E-health literacy was measured using questions of perceived skill and comfort in finding health information online; perceived usefulness of the Internet for help making health decisions; and perceived

Health literacy knowledge among direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising professionals.

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Mackert, Michael

2011-09-01

While direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising has been the subject of ongoing debate, to this point the perspective of the advertising professionals engaged in creating these ads has been absent from the discussion. This study, consisting of in-depth interviews with advertising professionals (N = 22), was an initial investigation focused on these individuals. The primary purpose of this study was to explore advertising professionals' understanding of health literacy-consumers' ability to obtain, process, and act on health information; with that context in place, participants' views on the role of DTC advertising, industry regulations, and the future of the industry were also investigated. While some participants knew nothing about health literacy or had a relatively simple conceptualization (e.g., grade level of written materials), others exhibited more nuanced understanding of health literacy (e.g., the need to pair relevant images with text to enhance understanding). Participants spoke of the potential public health benefit of DTC advertising in educating consumers about health issues, but were realistic that such efforts on the part of pharmaceutical companies were driven primarily by business concerns-educational messages need to be tied directly to an advertised medication and its benefits. These professionals spoke of industry regulations as presenting additional barriers to effective communication and suggested that industry trends toward more niche products will necessitate more patient education about less well-known health issues. Directions for future research are considered, as more investigation of this understudied group is necessary to enrich the DTC prescription drug advertising debate.

Consumers' Perceptions of Patient-Accessible Electronic Medical Records

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Vaughon, Wendy L; Czaja, Sara J; Levy, Joslyn; Rockoff, Maxine L

2013-01-01

Background Electronic health information (eHealth) tools for patients, including patient-accessible electronic medical records (patient portals), are proliferating in health care delivery systems nationally. However, there has been very limited study of the perceived utility and functionality of portals, as well as limited assessment of these systems by vulnerable (low education level, racial/ethnic minority) consumers. Objective The objective of the study was to identify vulnerable consumers’ response to patient portals, their perceived utility and value, as well as their reactions to specific portal functions. Methods This qualitative study used 4 focus groups with 28 low education level, English-speaking consumers in June and July 2010, in New York City. Results Participants included 10 males and 18 females, ranging in age from 21-63 years; 19 non-Hispanic black, 7 Hispanic, 1 non-Hispanic White and 1 Other. None of the participants had higher than a high school level education, and 13 had less than a high school education. All participants had experience with computers and 26 used the Internet. Major themes were enhanced consumer engagement/patient empowerment, extending the doctor’s visit/enhancing communication with health care providers, literacy and health literacy factors, improved prevention and health maintenance, and privacy and security concerns. Consumers were also asked to comment on a number of key portal features. Consumers were most positive about features that increased convenience, such as making appointments and refilling prescriptions. Consumers raised concerns about a number of potential barriers to usage, such as complex language, complex visual layouts, and poor usability features. Conclusions Most consumers were enthusiastic about patient portals and perceived that they had great utility and value. Study findings suggest that for patient portals to be effective for all consumers, portals must be designed to be easy to read, visually

Dr Google and the consumer: a qualitative study exploring the navigational needs and online health information-seeking behaviors of consumers with chronic health conditions.

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Lee, Kenneth; Hoti, Kreshnik; Hughes, Jeffery David; Emmerton, Lynne

2014-12-02

interviews, with data saturation achieved by the 14th interview. While we identified a broad range of online health information-seeking behaviors, most related to information discussed during consumer-health professional consultations such as looking for information about medication side effects. The barriers we identified included intrinsic barriers, such as limited eHealth literacy, and extrinsic barriers, such as the inconsistency of information between different online sources. The navigational needs of our participants were extrinsic in nature and included health professionals directing consumers to appropriate online resources and better filtering of online health information. Our participants' online health information-seeking behaviors, reported barriers, and navigational needs were underpinned by the themes of trust, patient activation, and relevance. This study suggests that existing interventions aimed to assist consumers with navigating online health information may not be what consumers want or perceive they need. eHealth literacy and patient activation appear to be prevalent concepts in the context of consumers' online health information-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, the role for health professionals in guiding consumers to quality online health information is highlighted.

Exploring the role of health literacy in the evaluation of online health information: Insights from a mixed-methods study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diviani, N.; van den Putte, B.; Meppelink, C.S.; van Weert, J.C.M.

Objective To gain new insights into the relationship between health literacy and evaluation of online health information. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, forty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted followed by a short questionnaire on health literacy and eHealth literacy.

Need for Cognition and Electronic Health Literacy and Subsequent Information Seeking Behaviors Among University Undergraduate Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca K. Britt

2013-10-01

Full Text Available eHealth literacy (eHEALS has yet to be examined with regard to need for cognition (NFC, as well as whether NFC moderates the relationship between eHealth literacy and seeking out online health information. Past research that has examined NFC as an interaction between whether interactivity on health web sites affected comprehension and attitudes, but no research to date has examined whether cognitive need interacts with eHEALS and subsequent information seeking behaviors. The present study tests eHEALS and its connection to need for cognition (NFC in the role of online health information seeking behaviors. Results showed that high eHEALS individuals were more likely to seek out online health information and were more likely to have higher NFC scores. NFC did not emerge as a moderator on the relationship between eHealth literacy and online health information seeking behaviors. Future directions are discussed, in particular, examining eHEALS as a construct of efficacy and further need to examine eHEALS with need for cognition in health communication research.

E-health in the new millennium: a research and practice agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Metaxiotis, Kostas; Ptochos, Dimitrios; Psarras, John

2004-01-01

Advances in telecommunications, automated processes, web technologies and wireless computing are already forcing dramatic changes in a variety of sectors, ranging from business and industry to education and health. Yet, the electronic business space, in a broader sense, is still in a relatively early state of evolution, and it is only recently that policy makers have started looking at the potential of applying the tools and techniques of e-commerce to the tasks of other sectors. The use of the internet as a source of health information and connectivity between healthcare providers and consumers has increased interest in e-health. E-health offers the rich potential of supplementing traditional delivery of services and channels of communication in ways that extend the healthcare organisation's ability to meet the needs of its patients. To date, some e-health applications have improved the quality of healthcare, and later they will lead to substantial cost savings. However, e-health is not simply a technology but a complex technological and relational process. In this sense, practitioners and researchers who want to successfully exploit e-health need to pay attention to various pending issues that have to be addressed. The aim of this paper is to propose a novel taxonomy for e-health research in the new millennium by instantaneously presenting the current status with some major themes of e-health research.

How can research keep up with eHealth? Ten strategies for increasing the timeliness and usefulness of eHealth research.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Timothy B; Gustafson, David H; Shah, Dhavan

2014-02-19

eHealth interventions appear and change so quickly that they challenge the way we conduct research. By the time a randomized trial of a new intervention is published, technological improvements and clinical discoveries may make the intervention dated and unappealing. This and the spate of health-related apps and websites may lead consumers, patients, and caregivers to use interventions that lack evidence of efficacy. This paper aims to offer strategies for increasing the speed and usefulness of eHealth research. The paper describes two types of strategies based on the authors' own research and the research literature: those that improve the efficiency of eHealth research, and those that improve its quality. Efficiency strategies include: (1) think small: conduct small studies that can target discrete but significant questions and thereby speed knowledge acquisition; (2) use efficient designs: use such methods as fractional-factorial and quasi-experimental designs and surrogate endpoints, and experimentally modify and evaluate interventions and delivery systems already in use; (3) study universals: focus on timeless behavioral, psychological, and cognitive principles and systems; (4) anticipate the next big thing: listen to voices outside normal practice and connect different perspectives for new insights; (5) improve information delivery systems: researchers should apply their communications expertise to enhance inter-researcher communication, which could synergistically accelerate progress and capitalize upon the availability of "big data"; and (6) develop models, including mediators and moderators: valid models are remarkably generative, and tests of moderation and mediation should elucidate boundary conditions of effects and treatment mechanisms. Quality strategies include: (1) continuous quality improvement: researchers need to borrow engineering practices such as the continuous enhancement of interventions to incorporate clinical and technological progress; (2

eHealth in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kierkegaard, Patrick

2013-01-01

Denmark is widely regarded as a leading country in terms of eHealth integration and healthcare delivery services. The push for eHealth adoption over that past 20 years in the Danish health sector has led to the deployment of multiple eHealth technologies. However, in reality the Danish healthcare...... suffers from eHealth system fragmentation which has led to eHealth's inability to reach full potential in delivering quality healthcare service. This paper will presents a case study of the current state of eHealth in the Danish healthcare system and discuss the current challenges the country is facing...

Development of the Digital Health Literacy Instrument : Measuring a Broad Spectrum of Health 1.0 and Health 2.0 Skills

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Vaart, Rosalie; Drossaert, Constance

2017-01-01

Background: With the digitization of health care and the wide availability of Web-based applications, a broad set of skills is essential to properly use such facilities; these skills are called digital health literacy or eHealth literacy. Current instruments to measure digital health literacy focus

Nordic eHealth Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyppönen, Hannele; Faxvaag, Arild; Gilstad, Heidi

This report describes first results of the Network: eHealth policy analysis and first common Nordic eHealth indicators. The results show similarities and also some differences in the eHealth policies, priorities and implementation. Interesting similarities and differences in availability and use...... of eHealth services in the Nordic countries were found with the first comparable eHealth indicators. The results create a basis for Evidence-based policy making as well as benchmarking and learning best practices from each other....

Healthy e-health? Think 'environmental e-health'!

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Richard E; Saunders, Chad; Palacios, Moné; Nguyen, Duyen Thi Kim; Ali, Sajid

2010-01-01

The Environmental e-Health Research and Training Program has completed its scoping study to understand the breadth of a new field of research: Environmental e-Health. Nearly every aspect of modern life is associated, directly or indirectly, with application of technology, from a cup of coffee, through transportation to and from work, to appliances in the home and industrial activities. In recent decades the rapidly increasing application of information and communications technologies (ICT) has added to the cacophony of technological 'noise' around us. Research has shown that technology use, including ICTs, has impact upon the environment. Studying environmental impact in such a complex global setting is daunting. e-Health is now being used as a convenient microcosm of ICT application within which to study these impacts, and is particularly poignant given that e-Health's environmental harms conflict with its noble goals of 'doing no harm'. The study has identified impacts, both benefits and harms in all three life-cycle phases for e-Health: up-stream (materials extraction, manufacturing, packaging, distribution), mid-stream (use period), and down-stream (end-of-life processes--disposal, recycling). In addition the literature shows that a holistic 'Life Cycle Assessment' approach is essential to understand the complexity of the setting, and determine the true balance between total harms and total benefits, and for whom.

Predictors of eHealth usage: insights on the digital divide from the Health Information National Trends Survey 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Kontos, Emily; Blake, Kelly D; Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia; Prestin, Abby

2014-07-16

, whereas age was primarily influential for health information-seeking. This study illustrates that lower SES, older, and male online US adults were less likely to engage in a number of eHealth activities compared to their counterparts. Future studies should assess issues of health literacy and eHealth literacy and their influence on eHealth engagement across social groups. Clinical care and public health communication efforts attempting to leverage Web 2.0 and 3.0 platforms should acknowledge differential eHealth usage to better address communication inequalities and persistent disparities in health.

eHealth indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

HYPPÖNEN, Hannele; AMMENWERTH, Elske; Nøhr, Christian

2012-01-01

eHealth indicators are needed to measure defined aspects of national eHealth implementations. However, until now, eHealth indicators are ambiguous or unclear. Therefore, an expert workshop "Towards an International Minimum Dataset for Monitoring National Health Information System Implementations......" was organized. The objective was to develop ideas for a minimum eHealth indicator set. The proposed ideas for indicators were classified based on EUnetHTA and De-Lone & McClean, and classification was compared with health IT evaluation criteria classification by Ammenwerth & Keizer. Analysis of the workshop...... results emphasized the need for a common methodological framework for defining and classifying eHealth indicators. It also showed the importance of setting the indicators into context. The results will benefit policy makers, developers and researchers in pursuit of provision and use of evidence...

A Proposed Intelligent Policy-Based Interface for a Mobile eHealth Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Tavasoli, Amir; Archer, Norm

Users of mobile eHealth systems are often novices, and the learning process for them may be very time consuming. In order for systems to be attractive to potential adopters, it is important that the interface should be very convenient and easy to learn. However, the community of potential users of a mobile eHealth system may be quite varied in their requirements, so the system must be able to adapt easily to suit user preferences. One way to accomplish this is to have the interface driven by intelligent policies. These policies can be refined gradually, using inputs from potential users, through intelligent agents. This paper develops a framework for policy refinement for eHealth mobile interfaces, based on dynamic learning from user interactions.

Exploring the role of health literacy in the evaluation of online health information: Insights from a mixed-methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Diviani, Nicola; van den Putte, Bas; Meppelink, Corine S; van Weert, Julia C M

2016-06-01

To gain new insights into the relationship between health literacy and evaluation of online health information. Using a mixed-methods approach, forty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted followed by a short questionnaire on health literacy and eHealth literacy. Qualitative and quantitative data were merged to explore differences and similarities among respondents with different health literacy levels. Thematic analysis showed that most respondents did not question the quality of online health information and relied on evaluation criteria not recognized by existing web quality guidelines. Individuals with low health literacy, despite presenting higher eHealth literacy scores, appeared to use less established criteria and to rely more heavily on non-established ones compared to those with high health literacy. Disparities in evaluation ability among people with different health literacy might be related to differences in awareness of the issue and to the use of different evaluation criteria. Future research should quantitatively investigate the interplay between health literacy, use of established and non-established criteria, and ability to evaluate online health information. Communication and patient education efforts should aim to raise awareness on online health information quality and to promote use of established evaluation criteria, especially among low health literate citizens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wat is eHealth?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dol, Aranka

2012-01-01

Presentatie tijdens methodieklunch PsyQ team eetstoornissen op 21 november 2012.
Presentatie over wat is ehealth? Op welke zorgprocessen kan ehealth worden ingezet? Wie zijn de beoogde gebruikers? Mogelijke inzet van ehealth interventies op de reeds bestaande behandelingen van obesitas.

Constructive eHealth evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høstgaard, Anna Marie Balling

2016-01-01

Despite the existence of an extensive body of knowledge about best practices and factors that contribute to the successful development and adoption of eHealth, many eHealth development-projects still face a number of problems - many of them of an organizational nature. This chapter presents a new...... method: “The Constructive eHealth evaluation method” aimed at supporting real end-user participation - a well-known success factor in eHealth development. It provides an analytical framework for achieving real end-user participation during the different phases in the eHealth lifecycle. The method...... was developed and used for the first time during the evaluation of an EHR planning process in a Danish region. It has proven effective for providing management at more levels on-going information and feedback from end-users, allowing management to change direction during eHealth development in order to achieve...

Readiness of healthcare providers for eHealth: the case from primary healthcare centers in Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Saleh, Shadi; Khodor, Rawya; Alameddine, Mohamad; Baroud, Maysa

2016-11-10

eHealth can positively impact the efficiency and quality of healthcare services. Its potential benefits extend to the patient, healthcare provider, and organization. Primary healthcare (PHC) settings may particularly benefit from eHealth. In these settings, healthcare provider readiness is key to successful eHealth implementation. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore the potential readiness of providers to use eHealth tools. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the readiness of healthcare providers working in PHC centers in Lebanon to use eHealth tools. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess participants' socio-demographics, computer use, literacy, and access, and participants' readiness for eHealth implementation (appropriateness, management support, change efficacy, personal beneficence). The study included primary healthcare providers (physicians, nurses, other providers) working in 22 PHC centers distributed across Lebanon. Descriptive and bivariate analyses (ANOVA, independent t-test, Kruskal Wallis, Tamhane's T2) were used to compare participant characteristics to the level of readiness for the implementation of eHealth. Of the 541 questionnaires, 213 were completed (response rate: 39.4 %). The majority of participants were physicians (46.9 %), and nurses (26.8 %). Most physicians (54.0 %), nurses (61.4 %), and other providers (50.9 %) felt comfortable using computers, and had access to computers at their PHC center (physicians: 77.0 %, nurses: 87.7 %, others: 92.5 %). Frequency of computer use varied. The study found a significant difference for personal beneficence, management support, and change efficacy among different healthcare providers, and relative to participants' level of comfort using computers. There was a significant difference by level of comfort using computers and appropriateness. A significant difference was also found between those with access to computers in relation to personal beneficence and

Four Popular Books on Consumer Debt: A Context for Quantitative Literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew J. Miller

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The topics of credit cards, mortgages, subprime lending, and fringe banking are rich sources of problems and discussions for classes focused on quantitative literacy. In this theme book review, we look at four recent books on the consumer debt industry: Credit Card Nation, by Robert Manning; Maxed Out, by James Scurlock; Collateral Damaged, by Charles Geisst; and Broke, USA, by Gary Rivlin. Credit Card Nation takes a scholarly look at the history of credit in America with a focus on the genesis and growth of the credit card industry up to the turn of the 20th century. Maxed Out also examines the credit card industry, but its approach is to highlight the stories of individuals struggling with debt and thereby examine some of the damaging effects of credit card debt in the United States. Collateral Damaged is a timely exploration of the root causes at the institutional level of the credit crisis that began in 2008. Broke USA focuses on high-cost financing (pawn shops, payday loans, title loans, describing the history of what Rivlin calls the "poverty industry" and the political and legal challenges critics have mounted against the industry. Each of these books has something to offer a wide variety of quantitative literacy classes, providing scenarios, statistics, and problems worthy of examination. After reviewing each of the four books, we provide several examples of such quantitative literacy applications and close with some thoughts on the relationship between financial literacy and quantitative literacy.

How Can Research Keep Up With eHealth? Ten Strategies for Increasing the Timeliness and Usefulness of eHealth Research

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background eHealth interventions appear and change so quickly that they challenge the way we conduct research. By the time a randomized trial of a new intervention is published, technological improvements and clinical discoveries may make the intervention dated and unappealing. This and the spate of health-related apps and websites may lead consumers, patients, and caregivers to use interventions that lack evidence of efficacy. Objective This paper aims to offer strategies for increasing the speed and usefulness of eHealth research. Methods The paper describes two types of strategies based on the authors’ own research and the research literature: those that improve the efficiency of eHealth research, and those that improve its quality. Results Efficiency strategies include: (1) think small: conduct small studies that can target discrete but significant questions and thereby speed knowledge acquisition; (2) use efficient designs: use such methods as fractional-factorial and quasi-experimental designs and surrogate endpoints, and experimentally modify and evaluate interventions and delivery systems already in use; (3) study universals: focus on timeless behavioral, psychological, and cognitive principles and systems; (4) anticipate the next big thing: listen to voices outside normal practice and connect different perspectives for new insights; (5) improve information delivery systems: researchers should apply their communications expertise to enhance inter-researcher communication, which could synergistically accelerate progress and capitalize upon the availability of “big data”; and (6) develop models, including mediators and moderators: valid models are remarkably generative, and tests of moderation and mediation should elucidate boundary conditions of effects and treatment mechanisms. Quality strategies include: (1) continuous quality improvement: researchers need to borrow engineering practices such as the continuous enhancement of interventions to

Development of the Health Insurance Literacy Measure (HILM): Conceptualizing and Measuring Consumer Ability to Choose and Use Private Health Insurance

OpenAIRE

Paez, Kathryn A.; Mallery, Coretta J.; Noel, HarmoniJoie; Pugliese, Christopher; McSorley, Veronica E.; Lucado, Jennifer L.; Ganachari, Deepa

2014-01-01

Understanding health insurance is central to affording and accessing health care in the United States. Efforts to support consumers in making wise purchasing decisions and using health insurance to their advantage would benefit from the development of a valid and reliable measure to assess health insurance literacy. This article reports on the development of the Health Insurance Literacy Measure (HILM), a self-assessment measure of consumers' ability to select and use private health insurance...

Assessing the influence of health literacy on health information behaviors: A multi-domain skills-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Suri, Venkata Ratnadeep; Majid, Shaheen; Chang, Yun-Ke; Foo, Schubert

2016-06-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between five domain-specific skills of health literacy: Find Health Information (FHI), Appraise Health Information (AHI), Understand Health Information to act (UHI), Actively Manage One's Health (AMH), and E-health literacy (e-Heals), and health information seeking behaviors and three categories of health outcomes. A survey was implemented and data was collected from 1062 college going adults and analyzed using bivariate tests and multiple regression analysis. Among the five domain-specific Health Literacy skills, AHI and e-Heals were significantly associated with the use of traditional sources and the Internet for healthcare information respectively. Similarly and AMH and e-Heals were significantly associated with the use of traditional sources and the Internet for health lifestyle information respectively. Lastly AHI, AMH and e-Heals were significantly associated with the three categories of outcomes, and AFH was significantly associated with cognitive and instrumental outcomes, but not doctor-patient communication outcomes. Consumers' ability to use different health sources for both healthcare and health lifestyle information, and the three categories of health outcomes are associated with different domain-specific health literacy skills. Health literacy initiatives may be improved by focusing on clients to develop domain-specific skills that increase the likelihood of using health information sources and accrue benefits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Being an Informed Consumer of Health Information and Assessment of Electronic Health Literacy in a National Sample of Internet Users: Validity and Reliability of the e-HLS Instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Seçkin, Gül; Yeatts, Dale; Hughes, Susan; Hudson, Cassie; Bell, Valarie

2016-07-11

The Internet, with its capacity to provide information that transcends time and space barriers, continues to transform how people find and apply information to their own lives. With the current explosion in electronic sources of health information, including thousands of websites and hundreds of mobile phone health apps, electronic health literacy is gaining an increasing prominence in health and medical research. An important dimension of electronic health literacy is the ability to appraise the quality of information that will facilitate everyday health care decisions. Health information seekers explore their care options by gathering information from health websites, blogs, Web-based forums, social networking websites, and advertisements, despite the fact that information quality on the Internet varies greatly. Nonetheless, research has lagged behind in establishing multidimensional instruments, in part due to the evolving construct of health literacy itself. The purpose of this study was to examine psychometric properties of a new electronic health literacy (ehealth literacy) measure in a national sample of Internet users with specific attention to older users. Our paper is motivated by the fact that ehealth literacy is an underinvestigated area of inquiry. Our sample was drawn from a panel of more than 55,000 participants maintained by Knowledge Networks, the largest national probability-based research panel for Web-based surveys. We examined the factor structure of a 19-item electronic Health Literacy Scale (e-HLS) through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity on sample of adults (n=710) and a subsample of older adults (n=194). The AMOS graphics program 21.0 was used to construct a measurement model, linking latent factors obtained from EFA with 19 indicators to determine whether this factor structure achieved a good fit with our entire sample and the subsample (age ≥ 60

eHealth Recruitment Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Debbe; Canada, Ashanti; Bhatt, Riddhi; Davis, Jennifer; Plesko, Lisa; Baranowski, Tom; Cullen, Karen; Zakeri, Issa

2006-01-01

Little is known about effective eHealth recruitment methods. This paper presents recruitment challenges associated with enrolling African-American girls aged 8-10 years in an eHealth obesity prevention program, their effect on the recruitment plan, and potential implications for eHealth research. Although the initial recruitment strategy was…

Social Health Inequalities and eHealth: A Literature Review With Qualitative Synthesis of Theoretical and Empirical Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Latulippe, Karine; Hamel, Christine; Giroux, Dominique

2017-04-27

eHealth is developing rapidly and brings with it a promise to reduce social health inequalities (SHIs). Yet, it appears that it also has the potential to increase them. The general objective of this review was to set out how to ensure that eHealth contributes to reducing SHIs rather than exacerbating them. This review has three objectives: (1) identifying characteristics of people at risk of experiencing social inequality in health; (2) determining the possibilities of developing eHealth tools that avoid increasing SHI; and (3) modeling the process of using an eHealth tool by people vulnerable to SHI. Following the EPPI approach (Evidence for Policy and Practice of Information of the Institute of Education at the University of London), two databases were searched for the terms SHIs and eHealth and their derivatives in titles and abstracts. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed articles were included and evaluated. The software NVivo (QSR International) was employed to extract the data and allow for a metasynthesis of the data. Of the 73 articles retained, 10 were theoretical, 7 were from reviews, and 56 were based on empirical studies. Of the latter, 40 used a quantitative approach, 8 used a qualitative approach, 4 used mixed methods approach, and only 4 were based on participatory research-action approach. The digital divide in eHealth is a serious barrier and contributes greatly to SHI. Ethnicity and low income are the most commonly used characteristics to identify people at risk of SHI. The most promising actions for reducing SHI via eHealth are to aim for universal access to the tool of eHealth, become aware of users' literacy level, create eHealth tools that respect the cultural attributes of future users, and encourage the participation of people at risk of SHI. eHealth has the potential to widen the gulf between those at risk of SHI and the rest of the population. The widespread expansion of eHealth technologies calls for rigorous consideration of

Health literacy in the urgent care setting: What factors impact consumer comprehension of health information?

Science.gov (United States)

Alberti, Traci L; Morris, Nancy J

2017-05-01

An increasing number of Americans are using urgent care (UC) clinics due to: improved health insurance coverage, the need to decrease cost, primary care offices with limited appointment availability, and a desire for convenient care. Patients are treated by providers they may not know for episodic illness or injuries while in pain or not feeling well. Treatment instructions and follow-up directions are provided quickly. To examine health literacy in the adult UC population and identify patient characteristics associated with health literacy risk. As part of a larger cross-sectional study, UC patients seen between October 2013 and January 2014 completed a demographic questionnaire and the Newest Vital Sign. Descriptive, nonparametric analyses, and a multinomial logistic regression were done to assess health literacy, associated and predictive factors. A total of 57.5% of 285 participants had adequate health literacy. The likelihood of limited health literacy was associated with increased age (p literacy is common in a suburban UC setting, increasing the risk that consumers may not understand vital health information. Clear provider communication and confirmation of comprehension of discharge instructions for self-management is essential to optimize outcomes for UC patients. ©2017 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Legal aspects of E-HEALTH.

Science.gov (United States)

Callens, Stefaan; Cierkens, Kim

2008-01-01

Cross-border activities in health care in the European single market are increasing. Many of these cross-border developments are related to e-Health. E-Health describes the application of information and communication technologies across the whole range of functions that affect the health care sector. E-health attracts a growing interest on the European level that highlights the sharp need of appropriate regulatory framework able to ensure its promotion in the European Union. Some Directives constitute a step in this direction. Both the Data Protection Directive, the E-Commerce Directive, the Medical Device Directive and the Directive on Distance Contracting are some of the most important European legal achievements related to e-Health. Although the directives are not adopted especially for e-health applications, they are indirectly very important for e-Health. Firstly, the Data Protection Directive applies to personal data which form part of a filing system and contains several important principles that have to be complied with by e-Health actors processing personal data concerning health. Secondly, the E-commerce Directive applies to services provided at a distance by electronic means. Many e-Health applications fall within this scope. Thirdly, the Medical Devices Directive is of importance for the e-Health sector, especially with regard to e.g. the medical software that is used in many e-health applications. Finally, the Directive on Distance Contracting applies to contracts for goods or services which make use of one or more means of distance communication; E-Health business may involve the conclusion of contracts. Despite these Directives more developments are needed at the European level in order to make sure that e-Health will play an even more important role in health care systems than is the case today. The new e-Health applications like electronic health records, e-health platforms, health grids and the further use of genetic data and tissue involve new

Digital age and the public eHealth perspective: Prevailing health app use among Austrian Internet users.

Science.gov (United States)

Naszay, Marlene; Stockinger, Andreas; Jungwirth, David; Haluza, Daniela

2017-12-19

New technological developments affect almost every sector of our daily lives including the healthcare sector. Successful adoption and sustainable integration of eHealth and telemedicine in Public Health strategies (also known as Public eHealth) depend on knowledge and constant evaluation of consumers' needs, proficiencies, and preferences. We therefore assessed how the general Austrian population perceived innovative Public eHealth solutions. The online survey on 562 Austrian adults (58.9% females) collected self-reported data on current and expected use of smartphone-based health applications (apps) of digital natives (35 years and younger) and digital immigrants (aged 35+). In total, 26.7% (95% CI 23.0-30.4) of participants already used health apps, especially lifestyle-associated apps for monitoring exercise habits and nutritional habits. We found substantial digital age group differences; compared to digital immigrants digital natives were more likely to use mobile devices and health apps. Health apps have the potential to improve community health and prevent lifestyle diseases cost-effectively and efficiently, and thus build an important pillar of Public eHealth. With regard to aging societies, healthcare providers could take advantage of consumer-oriented health apps by assessing individual needs of specific target groups such as elderly people.

The Debate over eHealth

CERN Document Server

Gaddi, Antonio Vittorino

2014-01-01

The future of eHealth and telemedicine has recently become a much debated and controversial subject. It is widely believed that eHealth will play an increasingly important role in shaping healthcare systems in the twenty-first century. The rising burden of chronic diseases and the potential of eHealth for cutting costs and improving quality and safety of health services make eHealth a great opportunity for providing more efficient health care.

Global eHealth, Social Business and Citizen Engagement: A Natural Convergence?

Science.gov (United States)

Liaw, Siaw-Teng; Marcelo, Alvin; Narasimhan, Padmanesan; Ashraf, Md Mahfuz; Ray, Pradeep

2017-01-01

This paper draws on the vision, mission and experience with the WHO Collaborating Centre on eHealth (WHOCC-eHealth) and Yunus Social Business Health Hub (YSBHH) based at UNSW Australia, and the Asia electronic Health Information Network (AeHIN). Global eHealth aims to provide equitable access to ICT and health care, particularly to the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged. Social business aims to solve social and economic problem. Its best known product is microcredit financial services for the poor which are small loans that enable them to "produce something, sell something, earn something to develop self-reliance and a life of dignity". Citizen engagement and community participation is integral to both constructs within the context of global partnerships for Integrated People-Centred Health Services (IPCHS) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The eHealth dimension is consumer heath informatics, social media, mHealth and the Internet of Things. The convergence is multidimensional, mutually beneficial and requires good governance and leadership.

Constructive eHealth evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høstgaard, Anna Marie Balling; Bertelsen, Pernille Scholdan; Nøhr, Christian

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Information and communication sources in the healthcare sector are replaced with new eHealth technologies. This has led to problems arising from the lack of awareness of the importance of end-user involvement in eHealth development and of the difficulties caused by using...... traditional summative evaluation methods. The Constructive eHealth evaluation method (CeHEM) provides a solution to these problems by offering an evaluation framework for supporting and facilitating end-user involvement during all phases of eHealth development. The aim of this paper is to support this process...... by sharing experiences of the eHealth evaluation method used in the introduction of electronic health records (EHR) in the North Denmark Region of Denmark. It is the first time the fully developed method and the experiences on using the CeHEM in all five phases of a full lifecycle framework is presented...

What is eHealth (6)? Development of a Conceptual Model for eHealth: Qualitative Study with Key Informants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Tim; McGregor, Deborah; Brunner, Melissa; Keep, Melanie; Janssen, Anna; Barnet, Stewart

2017-10-24

Despite rapid growth in eHealth research, there remains a lack of consistency in defining and using terms related to eHealth. More widely cited definitions provide broad understanding of eHealth but lack sufficient conceptual clarity to operationalize eHealth and enable its implementation in health care practice, research, education, and policy. Definitions that are more detailed are often context or discipline specific, limiting ease of translation of these definitions across the breadth of eHealth perspectives and situations. A conceptual model of eHealth that adequately captures its complexity and potential overlaps is required. This model must also be sufficiently detailed to enable eHealth operationalization and hypothesis testing. This study aimed to develop a conceptual practice-based model of eHealth to support health professionals in applying eHealth to their particular professional or discipline contexts. We conducted semistructured interviews with key informants (N=25) from organizations involved in health care delivery, research, education, practice, governance, and policy to explore their perspectives on and experiences with eHealth. We used purposeful sampling for maximum diversity. Interviews were coded and thematically analyzed for emergent domains. Thematic analyses revealed 3 prominent but overlapping domains of eHealth: (1) health in our hands (using eHealth technologies to monitor, track, and inform health), (2) interacting for health (using digital technologies to enable health communication among practitioners and between health professionals and clients or patients), and (3) data enabling health (collecting, managing, and using health data). These domains formed a model of eHealth that addresses the need for clear definitions and a taxonomy of eHealth while acknowledging the fluidity of this area and the strengths of initiatives that span multiple eHealth domains. This model extends current understanding of eHealth by providing clearly

eHealth in Treatment of Offenders in Forensic Mental Health: A Review of the Current State.

Science.gov (United States)

Kip, Hanneke; Bouman, Yvonne H A; Kelders, Saskia M; van Gemert-Pijnen, Lisette J E W C

2018-01-01

Treatment of offenders in forensic mental health is complex. Often, these in- or outpatients have low treatment motivation, suffer from multiple disorders, and have poor literacy skills. eHealth may be able to improve treatment outcomes because of its potential to increase motivation and engagement, and it can overcome the predominant one-size-fits-all approach by being tailored to individual patients. To examine its potential, this systematic review studies the way that eHealth has been used and studied in forensic mental health and identifies accompanying advantages and disadvantages for both patients and treatment, including effectiveness. A systematic search in Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science was performed up until December 2017. Studies were included if they focused on technological interventions to improve the treatment of forensic psychiatric patients. The search resulted in 50 studies in which eHealth was used for treatment purposes. Multiple types of studies and technologies were identified, such as virtual reality, web-based interventions, and videoconferencing. The results confirmed the benefits of technology, for example, the acquisition of unique information about offenders, effectiveness, and tailoring to specific characteristics, but indicated that these are not fully taken advantage of. To overcome the barriers and obtain the benefits, eHealth has to have a good fit with patients and the forensic psychiatric context. It has to be seamlessly integrated in existing care and should not be added as an isolated element. To bridge the gap between the current situation and eHealth's potential, further research on development, implementation, and evaluation should be conducted.

Do you Mini-Med School? Leveraging library resources to improve Internet consumer health information literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Moorsel, G

2001-01-01

Popular for engaging public interest in medical science while promoting health awareness, Mini-Med School (MMS) programs also afford important if largely unrealized opportunities to improve the health information literacy of attendees. With a growing population using the Internet to make health decisions, needed venues for improving Internet Consumer Health Information (CHI) literacy may be found in the MMS platform. Surveyed directors of MMS programs understand the need to include CHI, and successful programs at SUNY Stony Brook and elsewhere demonstrate the potential for collaboration with affiliated health sciences libraries to integrate CHI instruction into MMS curricula.

Digital Literacy Instruction for eHealth and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Laura

2016-01-01

The increasing importance of digital technologies can disenfranchise individuals who lack digital literacy skills. As clinics adopt online health portals, even health care services require digital skills. Patients are often expected to check test results and perform other health-related tasks online, but few clinics provide support for those who…

The Digital Divide Among Low-Income Homebound Older Adults: Internet Use Patterns, eHealth Literacy, and Attitudes Toward Computer/Internet Use

Science.gov (United States)

DiNitto, Diana M

2013-01-01

Background Internet technology can provide a diverse array of online resources for low-income disabled and homebound older adults to manage their health and mental health problems and maintain social connections. Despite many previous studies of older adults’ Internet use, none focused on these most vulnerable older adults. Objective This study examined Internet use patterns, reasons for discontinued use, eHealth literacy, and attitudes toward computer/Internet use among low-income homebound individuals aged 60 and older in comparison to their younger counterparts—homebound adults under age 60. Methods Face-to-face or telephone surveys were conducted with 980 recipients of home-delivered meals in central Texas (78% were age 60 years and older and 22% under age 60). The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and the efficacy and interest subscales of the Attitudes Toward Computer/Internet Questionnaire (ATC/IQ) were used to measure the respective constructs. Age groups were compared with chi-square tests and t tests. Correlates of Internet use were analyzed with multinomial logistic regression, and correlates of eHEALS and ATC/IQ scores were analyzed with OLS regression models. Results Only 34% of the under-60 group and 17% of the 60 years and older group currently used the Internet, and 35% and 16% of the respective group members reported discontinuing Internet use due to cost and disability. In addition to being older, never users were more likely to be black (OR 4.41; 95% CI 2.82-6.91, PInternet every day or every few days, and their eHEALS scores were negatively associated with age and positively associated with frequency of use. Among the 60 and older group, a depression diagnosis was also negatively associated with eHEALS scores. ATC/IQ efficacy among never users of all ages and among older adults was positively associated with living alone, income, and the number of medical conditions and inversely associated with age, Hispanic ethnicity, and Spanish as the

eHealth in Denmark: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kierkegaard, Patrick

2013-12-01

Denmark is widely regarded as a leading country in terms of eHealth integration and healthcare delivery services. The push for eHealth adoption over that past 20 years in the Danish health sector has led to the deployment of multiple eHealth technologies. However, in reality the Danish healthcare suffers from eHealth system fragmentation which has led to eHealth's inability to reach full potential in delivering quality healthcare service. This paper will presents a case study of the current state of eHealth in the Danish healthcare system and discuss the current challenges the country is facing today.

How do physicians discuss e-health with patients? the relationship of physicians' e-health beliefs to physician mediation styles.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujioka, Yuki; Stewart, Erin

2013-01-01

A survey of 104 physicians examined the role of physicians' evaluation of the quality of e-health and beliefs about the influence of patients' use of e-health in how physicians discuss e-health materials with patients. Physicians' lower (poor) evaluation of the quality of e-health content predicted more negative mediation (counter-reinforcement of e-health content). Perceived benefits of patients' e-health use predicted more positive (endorsement of e-health content). Physician's perceived concerns (negative influence) regarding patients' e-health use were not a significant predictor for their mediation styles. Results, challenging the utility of restrictive mediation, suggested reconceptualizing it as redirective mediation in a medical interaction. The study suggested that patient-generated e-health-related inquiries invite physician mediation in medical consultations. Findings and implications are discussed in light of the literature of physician-patient interaction, incorporating the theory of parental mediation of media into a medical context.

Education, Technology and Health Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgren, Kurt; Sølling, Ina Koldkjær; Carøe, Per

The purpose of this study is to develop an interdisciplinary learning environment between education in technology, business, and nursing. This collaboration contributes to the creation of a natural interest and motivation for welfare technology. The aim of establishing an interaction between the 3...... as a theoretical and practical learning center. The mission of the Student Academy is to support and facilitate education in order to maintain and upgrade knowledge and skills in information technology and information management in relation to e-health and Health Literacy. The Student Academy inspires students...... areas of expertise is to create an understanding for each other's skills and cultural differences. Futhermore enabling future talents to gain knowledge and skills to improve Health Literacy among senior citizens. Based on a holistic view on welfare technology a Student Academy was created...

Education, Technology and Health Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgren, Kurt; Sølling, Ina Koldkjær; Carøe, Per

2016-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study is to develop an interdisciplinary learning environment between education in technology, business, and nursing. This collaboration contributes to the creation of a natural interest and motivation for welfare technology. The aim of establishing an interaction...... as a theoretical and practical learning center. The mission of the Student Academy is to support and facilitate education in order to maintain and upgrade knowledge and skills in information technology and information management in relation to e-health and Health Literacy. The Student Academy inspires students...... between the 3 areas of expertise is to create an understanding for each other's skills and cultural differences. Futhermore enabling future talents to gain knowledge and skills to improve Health Literacy among senior citizens. Based on a holistic view on welfare technology a Student Academy was created...

eHealth recruitment challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Debbe; Canada, Ashanti; Bhatt, Riddhi; Davis, Jennifer; Plesko, Lisa; Baranowski, Tom; Cullen, Karen; Zakeri, Issa

2006-11-01

Little is known about effective eHealth recruitment methods. This paper presents recruitment challenges associated with enrolling African-American girls aged 8-10 years in an eHealth obesity prevention program, their effect on the recruitment plan, and potential implications for eHealth research. Although the initial recruitment strategy was literature-informed, it failed to enroll the desired number of girls within a reasonable time period. Therefore, the recruitment strategy was reformulated to incorporate principles of social marketing and traditional marketing techniques. The resulting plan included both targeted, highly specific strategies (e.g., selected churches), and more broad-based approaches (e.g., media exposure, mass mailings, radio advertisements). The revised plan enabled recruitment goals to be attained. Media appeared to be particularly effective at reaching the intended audience. Future research should identify the most effective recruitment strategies for reaching potential eHealth audiences.

Nordic eHealth Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyppönen, Hannele; Faxvaag, Arild; Gilstad, Heidi

2013-01-01

eHealth indicator and benchmarking activities are rapidly increasing nationally and internationally. The work is rarely based on a transparent methodology for indicator definition. This article describes first results of testing an indicator methodology for defining eHealth indicators, which...... was reported at the Medical Informatics Europe conference in 2012. The core elements of the methodology are illustrated, demonstrating validation of each of them in the context of Nordic eHealth Indicator work. Validation proved the importance of conducting each of the steps of the methodology, with several...

Strategic leadership will be essential for dietitian eHealth readiness: A qualitative study exploring dietitian perspectives of eHealth readiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Maunder, Kirsty; Walton, Karen; Williams, Peter; Ferguson, Maree; Beck, Eleanor

2018-05-16

To explore dietitians' perspectives on the eHealth readiness of Australian dietitians, and to identify strategies to improve eHealth readiness of the profession. Dietitians who met the criteria for nutrition informatics experts participated in semi-structured interviews between June 2016 and March 2017. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis using coding was undertaken until consensus was reached by the researchers regarding key themes, topics and exemplar quotes. Interviews with 10 nutrition informatics experts revealed 25 discussion topics grouped into four main themes: benefits of eHealth for dietitians; risks of dietitians not being involved in eHealth; dietitians are not ready for eHealth; and strategies to improve eHealth readiness. The strategies identified for improving eHealth readiness included: collaboration and representation, education, offering of incentives and mentoring, as well as development of a national strategy, organisational leaders, nutrition informatics champions and a supportive environment. These findings suggest that dietitians may not be ready for eHealth. Strategic leadership and the actioning of other identified strategies will be imperative to preparing dietitians for eHealth to ensure the profession can practice effectively in the digital age, optimise nutrition care and support research for eHealth. If dietitians do not engage in eHealth, others may take their place, or dietitians may be forced to use eHealth in ways that are not the most effective for practice or maximising patient outcomes. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Ready for eHealth. Older Swedes’ Perceptions of eHealth Services: Using the PIADS Scale as a Predictor for Readiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarianne Wiklund Axelsson

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Relevant determinants of adoption of eHealth are needed in order to understand future usage. Aim: To investigate the anticipated psychosocial impact of present and future eHealth services and discuss how psychosocial factors can impact the readiness for eHealth services among older Swedes and reflect upon instruments for measuring eHealth acceptance. Method: The Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Device Scale (PIADS measured the psychosocial impact of eHealth services as illustrated in pictures of a set of events of eHealth services that may reasonably occur in the present and the future. The PIADS scale and the scenarios were administered via a randomly selected sample from the Swedish population aged 55–105. Results and Discussion: Older Swedes have, from a psychosocial perspective, positive expectations regarding eHealth services. The PIADS scale could be a useful supplement to acceptance measurements in the context of eHealth. Using animated illustrations to depict eHealth services, together with the PIADS scale, can generate findings that are generalizable across technologies. The dimensions adaptability, competence and self-esteem could be relevant determinants of adoption of eHealth.

Evidence-based Practice. Findings from the Section on Education and Consumer Health Informatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Staccini, P; Douali, N

2013-01-01

To provide an overview of outstanding current research conducted in Education and Consumer Informatics. Synopsis of the articles on education and consumer health informatics published in 2012 and selected for the IMIA Yearbook of Medical Informatics 2013. Architecture of monitoring or telehealth information systems for patients with chronic disease must include wireless devices to aid in the collection of personal data. Data acquisition technologies have an impact on patients' willingness to participate in telehealth programmes. Patients are more likely to prefer mobile applications over web-based applications. Social media is widely used by clinicians. Especially younger clinicians use it for personal purposes and for reference materials retrieval. Questions remain on optimal training requirements and on the effects on clinician behavior and on patient outcomes. A high level of e-Health literacy by patients will promote increased adoption and utilization of personal health records. The selected articles highlight the need for training of clinicians to become aware of existing telehealth systems, in order to correctly inform and guide patients to take part in telehealth systems and adopt personal healthcare records (PHR).

Acceptance of Swedish e-health services

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Mary-Louise; Loria, Karla

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate older people’s acceptance of e-health services, in order to identify determinants of, and barriers to, their intention to use e-health. Method: Based on one of the best-established models of technology acceptance, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), in-depth exploratory interviews with twelve individuals over 45 years of age and of varying backgrounds are conducted. Results: This investigation could find support for the importance of usefulness and perceived ease of use of the e-health service offered as the main determinants of people’s intention to use the service. Additional factors critical to the acceptance of e-health are identified, such as the importance of the compatibility of the services with citizens’ needs and trust in the service provider. Most interviewees expressed positive attitudes towards using e-health and find these services useful, convenient, and easy to use. Conclusion: E-health services are perceived as a good complement to traditional health care service delivery, even among older people. These people, however, need to become aware of the e-health alternatives that are offered to them and the benefits they provide. PMID:21289860

Constructing third age eHealth consumers by using personas from a cultural age perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ekström, M.; Loos, E.F.

2015-01-01

Society ages and our already extensive use of a host of different portable devices continues to expand. No leap of the imagination is needed to grasp that an exponential growth of the eHealth market is at hand. While the ageing of the baby boomers will have an impact on the global economy as a

CONSORT-EHEALTH: Improving and Standardizing Evaluation Reports of Web-based and Mobile Health Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Web-based and mobile health interventions (also called “Internet interventions” or "eHealth/mHealth interventions") are tools or treatments, typically behaviorally based, that are operationalized and transformed for delivery via the Internet or mobile platforms. These include electronic tools for patients, informal caregivers, healthy consumers, and health care providers. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement was developed to improve the suboptimal reporting of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). While the CONSORT statement can be applied to provide broad guidance on how eHealth and mHealth trials should be reported, RCTs of web-based interventions pose very specific issues and challenges, in particular related to reporting sufficient details of the intervention to allow replication and theory-building. Objective To develop a checklist, dubbed CONSORT-EHEALTH (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials of Electronic and Mobile HEalth Applications and onLine TeleHealth), as an extension of the CONSORT statement that provides guidance for authors of eHealth and mHealth interventions. Methods A literature review was conducted, followed by a survey among eHealth experts and a workshop. Results A checklist instrument was constructed as an extension of the CONSORT statement. The instrument has been adopted by the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) and authors of eHealth RCTs are required to submit an electronic checklist explaining how they addressed each subitem. Conclusions CONSORT-EHEALTH has the potential to improve reporting and provides a basis for evaluating the validity and applicability of eHealth trials. Subitems describing how the intervention should be reported can also be used for non-RCT evaluation reports. As part of the development process, an evaluation component is essential; therefore, feedback from authors will be solicited, and a before-after study will evaluate whether reporting has been improved

Involving patients with E-health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Karen Dam

2015-01-01

With e-health technologies, patients are invited as co-producers of data and information. The invitation sparks new expectations, yet often results in disappointments. With persistent ambitions to involve patients by means of e-health, it seems crucial to gain a better understanding of the nature......, sources and workings of the expectations that come with being invited. I analyse the use of an e-health system for ICD-patients, focusing on how patients sought to serve as information providers. Continuing STS-research on invisible work in technology use, I show how using the system involved complex work...... that understanding the dialogic dynamics and ‘overflows’ of information filtration work can help unpack the challenges of facilitating (patient) participation with e-health and other filtration devices....

Principles and framework for eHealth strategy development.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Richard E; Mars, Maurice

2013-07-30

Significant investment in eHealth solutions is being made in nearly every country of the world. How do we know that these investments and the foregone opportunity costs are the correct ones? Absent, poor, or vague eHealth strategy is a significant barrier to effective investment in, and implementation of, sustainable eHealth solutions and establishment of an eHealth favorable policy environment. Strategy is the driving force, the first essential ingredient, that can place countries in charge of their own eHealth destiny and inform them of the policy necessary to achieve it. In the last 2 years, there has been renewed interest in eHealth strategy from the World Health Organization (WHO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the African Union, and the Commonwealth; yet overall, the literature lacks clear guidance to inform countries why and how to develop their own complementary but locally specific eHealth strategy. To address this gap, this paper further develops an eHealth Strategy Development Framework, basing it upon a conceptual framework and relevant theories of strategy and complex system analysis available from the literature. We present here the rationale, theories, and final eHealth strategy development framework by which a systematic and methodical approach can be applied by institutions, subnational regions, and countries to create holistic, needs- and evidence-based, and defensible eHealth strategy and to ensure wise investment in eHealth.

The digital divide among low-income homebound older adults: Internet use patterns, eHealth literacy, and attitudes toward computer/Internet use.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Namkee G; Dinitto, Diana M

2013-05-02

Internet technology can provide a diverse array of online resources for low-income disabled and homebound older adults to manage their health and mental health problems and maintain social connections. Despite many previous studies of older adults' Internet use, none focused on these most vulnerable older adults. This study examined Internet use patterns, reasons for discontinued use, eHealth literacy, and attitudes toward computer/Internet use among low-income homebound individuals aged 60 and older in comparison to their younger counterparts-homebound adults under age 60. Face-to-face or telephone surveys were conducted with 980 recipients of home-delivered meals in central Texas (78% were age 60 years and older and 22% under age 60). The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and the efficacy and interest subscales of the Attitudes Toward Computer/Internet Questionnaire (ATC/IQ) were used to measure the respective constructs. Age groups were compared with chi-square tests and t tests. Correlates of Internet use were analyzed with multinomial logistic regression, and correlates of eHEALS and ATC/IQ scores were analyzed with OLS regression models. Only 34% of the under-60 group and 17% of the 60 years and older group currently used the Internet, and 35% and 16% of the respective group members reported discontinuing Internet use due to cost and disability. In addition to being older, never users were more likely to be black (OR 4.41; 95% CI 2.82-6.91, Pincomes (OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.27-0.49, Pincomes. Among both age groups, approximately three-fourths of the current users used the Internet every day or every few days, and their eHEALS scores were negatively associated with age and positively associated with frequency of use. Among the 60 and older group, a depression diagnosis was also negatively associated with eHEALS scores. ATC/IQ efficacy among never users of all ages and among older adults was positively associated with living alone, income, and the number of medical

Shopping [for] Power: How Adult Literacy Learners Negotiate the Marketplace

Science.gov (United States)

Ozanne, Julie L.; Adkins, Natalie Ross; Sandlin, Jennifer A.

2005-01-01

Little empirical evidence exists on how adult literacy learners act as consumers. Yet, adult literacy programs often employ a "functional" approach to consumer education and assume that adult learners are deficient in consumer skills. Data from a qualitative study of the consumer behaviors of adult literacy learners are used to explore how adult…

Impact of Health Literacy on Senior Citizen Engagement in Health Care IT Usage.

Science.gov (United States)

Noblin, Alice M; Rutherford, Ashley

2017-01-01

Objective: Patient engagement in health care information technology (IT) is required for government reimbursement programs. This research surveyed one older adult group to determine their willingness to use health information from a variety of sources. Health literacy was also measured using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) and eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) tools. Method: Regression models determined engagement in health care IT usage and impact of literacy levels based on survey data collected from the group. Results: Although most participants have adequate literacy, they are not more likely to use health care IT than those with limited literacy scores. Knowledge of how to use the Internet to answer questions about health was statistically associated with IT usage. Discussion: Health care IT usage is important for healthy aging. The ability of older adults to understand information provided to them can impact population health including medication usage and other important factors.

Stakeholder driven indicators for eHealth performance management.

Science.gov (United States)

Vedlūga, Tomas; Mikulskienė, Birutė

2017-08-01

The goal of the present article is to compile a corpus of indicators of eHealth development evaluation that would essentially reflect stakeholder approaches and complement technical indicators of assessment of an eHealth system. Consequently, the assessment of the development of an eHealth system would reflect stakeholder approaches and become an innovative solution in attempting to improve productivity of IT projects in the field of health care. The compiled minimum set of indicators will be designed to monitor implementation of the national eHealth information system. To ensure reliability of the quality research, the respondents were grouped in accordance to the geographical distribution and diversity of the levels and types of the represented jobs and institutions. The applied analysis implies several managerial insights on the hierarchy of eHealth indicators. These insights may be helpful in recommending priority activities in implementation of an eHealth data system on the national or international level. The research is practically useful as it is the first to deal with the topic in Lithuania and its theoretical and practical aspect are particularly relevant in implementation of an eHealth data system in Lithuania. The eHealth assessment indicators presented in the article may be practically useful in two aspects: (1) as key implementation guidelines facilitating the general course of eHealth system development and (2) as a means to evaluate eHealth outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applying e-health to case management.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, J M

2000-01-01

The healthcare industry is only beginning to understand e-health. E-health can be defined as the use of technology to directly improve healthcare delivery-affording patients the opportunity to participate in their own healthcare management, provider, and institution. The market is changing rapidly, and innovations, partnerships, and mergers are taking place daily. For healthcare institutions, setting a long-term, yet adaptable e-health strategy is of vital importance for the continued success of the organization. For clinicians, an understanding of and familiarity with technologies can significantly improve workflow, organization, and patient interaction. For the patient, technology can be leveraged as a means to take initiative and responsibility for his/her own health. This article defines e-health and explains the implications and benefits of e-health to nurses and their patients. The article also identifies unique opportunities e-health/e-commerce can provide case managers in promoting patient connectivity, care management, and economy in cost of care.

Development of the Health Insurance Literacy Measure (HILM): Conceptualizing and Measuring Consumer Ability to Choose and Use Private Health Insurance

Science.gov (United States)

Paez, Kathryn A.; Mallery, Coretta J.; Noel, HarmoniJoie; Pugliese, Christopher; McSorley, Veronica E.; Lucado, Jennifer L.; Ganachari, Deepa

2014-01-01

Understanding health insurance is central to affording and accessing health care in the United States. Efforts to support consumers in making wise purchasing decisions and using health insurance to their advantage would benefit from the development of a valid and reliable measure to assess health insurance literacy. This article reports on the development of the Health Insurance Literacy Measure (HILM), a self-assessment measure of consumers' ability to select and use private health insurance. The authors developed a conceptual model of health insurance literacy based on formative research and stakeholder guidance. Survey items were drafted using the conceptual model as a guide then tested in two rounds of cognitive interviews. After a field test with 828 respondents, exploratory factor analysis revealed two HILM scales, choosing health insurance and using health insurance, each of which is divided into a confidence subscale and likelihood of behavior subscale. Correlations between the HILM scales and an objective measure of health insurance knowledge and skills were positive and statistically significant which supports the validity of the measure. PMID:25315595

Education as eHealth Infrastructure: Considerations in Advancing a National Agenda for eHealth

Science.gov (United States)

Hilberts, Sonya; Gray, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This paper explores the role of education as infrastructure in large-scale ehealth strategies--in theory, in international practice and in one national case study. Education is often invisible in the documentation of ehealth infrastructure. Nevertheless a review of international practice shows that there is significant educational investment made…

Doctor-patient communication in the e-health era.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiner, Jonathan P

2012-08-28

The digital revolution will have a profound impact on how physicians and health care delivery organizations interact with patients and the community at-large. Over the coming decades, face-to-face patient/doctor contacts will become less common and exchanges between consumers and providers will increasingly be mediated by electronic devices.In highly developed health care systems like those in Israel, the United States, and Europe, most aspects of the health care and consumer health experience are becoming supported by a wide array of technology such as electronic and personal health records (EHRs and PHRs), biometric & telemedicine devices, and consumer-focused wireless and wired Internet applications.In an article in this issue, Peleg and Nazarenko report on a survey they fielded within Israel's largest integrated delivery system regarding patient views on the use of electronic communication with their doctors via direct-access mobile phones and e-mail. A previous complementary paper describes the parallel perspectives of the physician staff at the same organization. These two surveys offer useful insights to clinicians, managers, researchers, and policymakers on how best to integrate e-mail and direct-to-doctor mobile phones into their practice settings. These papers, along with several other recent Israeli studies on e-health, also provide an opportunity to step back and take stock of the dramatic impact that information & communication technology (ICT) and health information technology (HIT) will have on clinician/patient communication moving forward.The main goals of this commentary are to describe the scope of this issue and to offer a framework for understanding the potential impact that e-health tools will have on provider/patient communication. It will be essential that clinicians, managers, policymakers, and researchers gain an increased understanding of this trend so that health care systems around the globe can adapt, adopt, and embrace these rapidly

Doctor-patient communication in the e-health era

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiner Jonathan P

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The digital revolution will have a profound impact on how physicians and health care delivery organizations interact with patients and the community at-large. Over the coming decades, face-to-face patient/doctor contacts will become less common and exchanges between consumers and providers will increasingly be mediated by electronic devices. In highly developed health care systems like those in Israel, the United States, and Europe, most aspects of the health care and consumer health experience are becoming supported by a wide array of technology such as electronic and personal health records (EHRs and PHRs, biometric & telemedicine devices, and consumer-focused wireless and wired Internet applications. In an article in this issue, Peleg and Nazarenko report on a survey they fielded within Israel's largest integrated delivery system regarding patient views on the use of electronic communication with their doctors via direct-access mobile phones and e-mail. A previous complementary paper describes the parallel perspectives of the physician staff at the same organization. These two surveys offer useful insights to clinicians, managers, researchers, and policymakers on how best to integrate e-mail and direct-to-doctor mobile phones into their practice settings. These papers, along with several other recent Israeli studies on e-health, also provide an opportunity to step back and take stock of the dramatic impact that information & communication technology (ICT and health information technology (HIT will have on clinician/patient communication moving forward. The main goals of this commentary are to describe the scope of this issue and to offer a framework for understanding the potential impact that e-health tools will have on provider/patient communication. It will be essential that clinicians, managers, policymakers, and researchers gain an increased understanding of this trend so that health care systems around the globe can adapt, adopt

Social Media Usage for Patients and Healthcare Consumers: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ariana-Anamaria Cordoş

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The evolution of Internet from static Web “publishing” to the highly participative, and data-driven, innovations of Web 2.0 has been influencing how people search for health-related information. This review included studies indexed in the PubMed electronic database that focused on social media analysis, examining relationships between participants (patients and healthcare consumers through social media usage. The obtained results showed that previous research regarding social media’s impact on patients and healthcare consumers aimed at a combination of platforms, but there is a penury of information about niche topics or its usage for retrieving medical information. Nevertheless, social media proved to be to be a promising tool in research mainly for recruitment purposes. The review has outlined that eHealth literacy is an attribute for populations that are female and relatively young and educated. Blogs share personal experiences, YouTube contains unregulated, high- and low-quality information that can mislead individuals, Facebook contains more marketing than health-related information, while Wikipedia is recommended for providing high-quality information. Despite healthcare practitioners’ and healthcare public institutions’ reluctance about the use of social media, this review demonstrates the usefulness of social media for patients and healthcare consumers in retrieving health-related information based on content availability and usage implications, and highlights gaps in knowledge that further research needs to fill.

The Health Information Literacy Research Project*

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz-Rossi, Sabrina; Funk, Carla J.

2009-01-01

Objectives: This research studied hospital administrators' and hospital-based health care providers' (collectively, the target group) perceived value of consumer health information resources and of librarians' roles in promoting health information literacy in their institutions. Methods: A web-based needs survey was developed and administered to hospital administrators and health care providers. Multiple health information literacy curricula were developed. One was pilot-tested by nine hospital libraries in the United States and Canada. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate the curriculum and its impact on the target group. Results: A majority of survey respondents believed that providing consumer health information resources was critically important to fulfilling their institutions' missions and that their hospitals could improve health information literacy by increasing awareness of its impact on patient care and by training staff to become more knowledgeable about health literacy barriers. The study showed that a librarian-taught health information literacy curriculum did raise awareness about the issue among the target group and increased both the use of National Library of Medicine consumer health resources and referrals to librarians for health information literacy support. Conclusions: It is hoped that many hospital administrators and health care providers will take the health information literacy curricula and recognize that librarians can educate about the topic and that providers will use related consumer health services and resources. PMID:19851494

Development and field testing of a consumer shared decision-making training program for adults with low literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Muscat, Danielle M; Morony, Suzanne; Shepherd, Heather L; Smith, Sian K; Dhillon, Haryana M; Trevena, Lyndal; Hayen, Andrew; Luxford, Karen; Nutbeam, Don; McCaffery, Kirsten

2015-10-01

Given the scarcity of shared decision-making (SDM) interventions for adults with low literacy, we created a SDM training program tailored to this population to be delivered in adult education settings. Formative evaluation during program development included a review of the problem and previous efforts to address it, qualitative interviews with the target population, program planning and field testing. A comprehensive SDM training program was developed incorporating core SDM elements. The program aimed to improve students' understanding of SDM and to provide them with the necessary skills (understanding probabilistic risks and benefits, personal values and preferences) and self-efficacy to use an existing set of questions (the AskShareKnow questions) as a means to engage in SDM during healthcare interactions. There is an ethical imperative to develop SDM interventions for adults with lower literacy. Generic training programs delivered direct-to-consumers in adult education settings offer promise in a national and international environment where too few initiatives exist. Formative evaluation of the program offers practical insights into developing consumer-focused SDM training. The content of the program can be used as a guide for future efforts to engage consumers in SDM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building National eHealth Platforms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vassilakopoulou, Polyxeni; Grisot, Miria; Jensen, Tina Blegind

2017-01-01

, the coordination of work among multiple contributors, and, the handling of technical heterogeneity within the pre-existing and continuous evolving eHealth landscape. Inclusiveness is related both to the character of public platforms as “common goods”, and, to growth ambitions for public eHealth. The aim...

Impact of Health Literacy on Senior Citizen Engagement in Health Care IT Usage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice M. Noblin PhD, RHIA, CCS

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: Patient engagement in health care information technology (IT is required for government reimbursement programs. This research surveyed one older adult group to determine their willingness to use health information from a variety of sources. Health literacy was also measured using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS and eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS tools. Method: Regression models determined engagement in health care IT usage and impact of literacy levels based on survey data collected from the group. Results: Although most participants have adequate literacy, they are not more likely to use health care IT than those with limited literacy scores. Knowledge of how to use the Internet to answer questions about health was statistically associated with IT usage. Discussion: Health care IT usage is important for healthy aging. The ability of older adults to understand information provided to them can impact population health including medication usage and other important factors.

Conceptual framework for development of comprehensive e-health evaluation tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoja, Shariq; Durrani, Hammad; Scott, Richard E; Sajwani, Afroz; Piryani, Usha

2013-01-01

The main objective of this study was to develop an e-health evaluation tool based on a conceptual framework including relevant theories for evaluating use of technology in health programs. This article presents the development of an evaluation framework for e-health programs. The study was divided into three stages: Stage 1 involved a detailed literature search of different theories and concepts on evaluation of e-health, Stage 2 plotted e-health theories to identify relevant themes, and Stage 3 developed a matrix of evaluation themes and stages of e-health programs. The framework identifies and defines different stages of e-health programs and then applies evaluation theories to each of these stages for development of the evaluation tool. This framework builds on existing theories of health and technology evaluation and presents a conceptual framework for developing an e-health evaluation tool to examine and measure different factors that play a definite role in the success of e-health programs. The framework on the horizontal axis divides e-health into different stages of program implementation, while the vertical axis identifies different themes and areas of consideration for e-health evaluation. The framework helps understand various aspects of e-health programs and their impact that require evaluation at different stages of the life cycle. The study led to the development of a new and comprehensive e-health evaluation tool, named the Khoja-Durrani-Scott Framework for e-Health Evaluation.

eHealth Use Among First-Generation Immigrants From Pakistan in the Oslo Area, Norway, With Focus on Diabetes: Survey Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatara, Naoe; Kjøllesdal, Marte Karoline Råberg; Mirkovic, Jelena; Andreassen, Hege Kristin

2016-04-25

A variety of eHealth services are available and commonly used by the general public. eHealth has the potential to engage and empower people with managing their health. The prerequisite is, however, that eHealth services are adapted to the sociocultural heterogeneity of the user base and are available in a language and with contents that fit the users' preference, skills, and abilities. Pakistani immigrants in the Oslo area, Norway, have a much higher risk of Type-2 diabetes (T2D) than their Norwegian counterparts do. In spite of having access to information and communication technology (ICT) and the Internet, ICT skills in this population are reported to be relatively low. Further, there is insufficient information about their use of and attitudes toward eHealth services, necessitating investigation of this group in particular. This study targets first-generation immigrants from Pakistan living in the Oslo area and examines their use of and attitudes toward eHealth services, specifically: information searches, communication using ICT, and use of ICT for self-management or decision making, all concerning T2D. Due to a high prevalence of low literacy among the target population, we employed questionnaire-based individual interviews. The questionnaire was developed by implementing potentially relevant theoretical constructs (technology acceptance model (TAM) and health belief model (HBM)) as measures. To explore issues around language, culture, and general ICT skills, we also implemented questions that we assume were particularly relevant in the context studied but do not appear in any theoretical frameworks. The questionnaire was revised to reflect results of a pilot study involving 10 participants. We employed culturally sensitive sampling methods to reach informants who could otherwise fail to be included in the survey. This paper presents a survey protocol. The data collection is ongoing. The aim is to collect 200 responses in total by March 2016. For eHealth to

Acceptance of Swedish e-health services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary-Louise Jung

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Mary-Louise Jung1, Karla Loria11Division of Industrial Marketing, e-Commerce and Logistics, Lulea University of Technology, SwedenObjective: To investigate older people’s acceptance of e-health services, in order to identify determinants of, and barriers to, their intention to use e-health.Method: Based on one of the best-established models of technology acceptance, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM, in-depth exploratory interviews with twelve individuals over 45 years of age and of varying backgrounds are conducted.Results: This investigation could find support for the importance of usefulness and perceived ease of use of the e-health service offered as the main determinants of people’s intention to use the service. Additional factors critical to the acceptance of e-health are identified, such as the importance of the compatibility of the services with citizens’ needs and trust in the service provider. Most interviewees expressed positive attitudes towards using e-health and find these services useful, convenient, and easy to use.Conclusion: E-health services are perceived as a good complement to traditional health care service delivery, even among older people. These people, however, need to become aware of the e-health alternatives that are offered to them and the benefits they provide.Keywords: health services, elderly, technology, Internet, TAM, patient acceptance, health-seeking behavior

Barriers in using cardiometabolic risk information among consumers with low health literacy.

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Damman, Olga C; Bogaerts, Nina M M; van Dongen, Diana; Timmermans, Danielle R M

2016-02-01

To identify the barriers from the perspective of consumers with low health literacy in using risk information as provided in cardiometabolic risk assessments. A qualitative thematic approach using cognitive interviews was employed. We performed interviews with 23 people with low health literacy/health numeracy, who were recruited through (1) several organisations and snowball sampling and (2) an online access panel. Participants completed the risk test of the Dutch national cardiometabolic risk assessment and viewed the personalized information about their risk. They were asked to answer probing questions about different parts of the information. The qualitative data were analysed by identifying main themes related to barriers in using the information, using a descriptive thematic approach. The four main themes identified were as follows: (1) People did not fully accept the risk message, partly because numerical information had ambiguous meaning; (2) people lacked an adequate framework for understanding their risk; (3) the purpose and setting of the risk assessment was unclear; and (4) current information tells nothing new: A need for more specific risk information. The main barriers were that the current presentation seemed to provoke undervaluation of the risk number and that texts throughout the test, for example about cardiometabolic diseases, did not match people's existing knowledge, failing to provide an adequate framework for understanding cardiometabolic risk. Our findings have implications for the design of disease risk information, for example that alternative forms of communication should be explored that provide more intuitive meaning of the risk in terms of good versus bad. What is already known on this subject? Online disease risk assessments have become widely available internationally. People with low SES and health literacy tend to participate less in health screening. Risk information is difficult to understand, yet little research has been

eHealth in Treatment of Offenders in Forensic Mental Health: A Review of the Current State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanneke Kip

2018-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundTreatment of offenders in forensic mental health is complex. Often, these in- or outpatients have low treatment motivation, suffer from multiple disorders, and have poor literacy skills. eHealth may be able to improve treatment outcomes because of its potential to increase motivation and engagement, and it can overcome the predominant one-size-fits-all approach by being tailored to individual patients.ObjectiveTo examine its potential, this systematic review studies the way that eHealth has been used and studied in forensic mental health and identifies accompanying advantages and disadvantages for both patients and treatment, including effectiveness.MethodsA systematic search in Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science was performed up until December 2017. Studies were included if they focused on technological interventions to improve the treatment of forensic psychiatric patients.ResultsThe search resulted in 50 studies in which eHealth was used for treatment purposes. Multiple types of studies and technologies were identified, such as virtual reality, web-based interventions, and videoconferencing. The results confirmed the benefits of technology, for example, the acquisition of unique information about offenders, effectiveness, and tailoring to specific characteristics, but indicated that these are not fully taken advantage of.DiscussionTo overcome the barriers and obtain the benefits, eHealth has to have a good fit with patients and the forensic psychiatric context. It has to be seamlessly integrated in existing care and should not be added as an isolated element. To bridge the gap between the current situation and eHealth’s potential, further research on development, implementation, and evaluation should be conducted.

Education, Technology and Health Literacy.

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Lindgren, Kurt; Koldkjær Sølling, Ina; Carøe, Per; Siggaard Mathiesen, Kirsten

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop an interdisciplinary learning environment between education in technology, business, and nursing. This collaboration creates natural interest and motivation for welfare technology. The aim of establishing an interaction between these three areas of expertise is to create an understanding of skills and cultural differences in each area. Futhermore, the aim is to enable future talents to gain knowledge and skills to improve health literacy among senior citizens. Based on a holistic view of welfare technology, a Student Academy was created as a theoretically- and practically-oriented learning center. The mission of the Student Academy is to support and facilitate education in order to maintain and upgrade knowledge and skills in information technology and information management related to e-health and health literacy. The Student Academy inspires students, stakeholders, politicians, DanAge Association members, companies, and professionals to participate in training, projects, workshops, and company visits.

eHealth Policy

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Capello, Fabio

2014-01-01

The rising of a new technological era has brought within it opportunities and threats the health systems worldwide have to deal with. In such a changed scenario the role of decision-makers is crucial to identify the real and perceived needs of the population and those areas on intervention in which eHealth can help to improve the quality and efficacy of care. Therefore, in-depth analysis of the state of the art both in industrialized and in developing countries is paramount. Many in fact are constraints that mine the designing and implementation of electronic systems for health. Only if policymakers understand the real implication of eHealth and the complexities of the human being, working model could be introduced. Otherwise the systems proposed will follow the same schemes that have produced failures so far. It implies also that the mutated role of the patient had to be known, together with his expectations and needs. Nevertheless, in a globalize world, a policy for eHealth have to consider also those facto...

Balancing Responsibilities – Financial Literacy

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Gail Pearson

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In Australia there is an obligation to promote the informed participation of financial consumers while in South Africa there is an obligation to educate consumers. The Australian obligation is concerned with the financial system as a whole while the South African obligation has generally been focused on general financial education as a tool to promote financial inclusion. There is no obligation for consumers to attain a minimum standard of literacy in credit or finance generally. Financial literacy is one among a number of strategies directed towards inducing changes in consumer behaviour. It sits between the old regulatory model which relies on disclosure of information for effective and rational decision-making and a newer regulatory model which takes into account individuals' perceptions and behavioural biases and may seek to accommodate for these by imposing obligations on financial services providers beyond the mere disclosure of information. Financial literacy is generally the ability to understand how money works, how a person can earn money or make it more. It specifically refers to the set of skills and knowledge that allows people to make informed and effective decisions with all of their financial resources. This article discusses Australian and South African legal obligations and social responsibilities aimed at promoting the financial literacy of consumers.

The influence of regulatory fit and interactivity on brand satisfaction and trust in E-health marketing inside 3D virtual worlds (Second Life).

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Seung-A Annie; Lee, Kwan Min

2010-12-01

Interactive three-dimensional (3D) virtual environments like Second Life have great potential as venues for effective e-health marketing and e-brand management. Drawing from regulatory focus and interactivity literatures, this study examined the effects of the regulatory fit that consumers experience in interactive e-health marketing on their brand satisfaction and brand trust. The results of a two-group comparison experiment conducted within Second Life revealed that consumers in the regulatory fit condition show greater brand satisfaction and brand trust than those in the regulatory misfit condition, thus confirming the persuasive influence of regulatory fit in e-brand management inside 3D virtual worlds. In addition, a structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated the mediating role of consumers' perceived interactivity in explaining the processional link between regulatory fit and brand evaluation. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

Governance structures impact on eHealth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kierkegaard, Patrick

2015-01-01

Background National eHealth implementation efforts need to move beyond the scope of making technology the primary focus and instead consider the broader spectrum of influences that can either hinder or facilitate eHealth adoption such as governance structures and policies. In this study, Denmark...... serves as an ideal candidate for further examination due to the country׳s rich history of intertwining events that have played an important role in the dynamic relationship between governance and eHealth success and failures. Methods A case study approach was used to gather a combination of primary...... and secondary data sources. All data collection was carried out through desk-research. Data collection relied on performing an extensive search of literature for relevant studies using combinations of keywords that reflected eHealth and governance-related topics. Inclusion and exclusion criteria׳s were applied...

Technical aspects of portal technology application for e-health systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosińska, Joanna; Słowikowski, Paweł

2004-01-01

E-health is an emerging field on the intersection of medical information technologies, public health and business, referring to health services and information delivered or enhanced through the Internet and related technologies. Portal technology, allowing services to be accessible over the Internet is a perfect tool for providing e-health services. The use of portal technologies has had deep influence on the architecture of the whole e-health system, both regarding new subsystems and older ones which we want to integrate with the portal. Portals provide new possibilities for creating novel types of e-health applications as well. In this paper we provide a brief overview of e-health systems and portal technologies, and present many technical aspects of portal technology application for e-health systems such as the architecture of portal-based e-health systems, graphical user interfaces, access to various e-health systems' resources, personalization, security and privacy.

Balancing responsibilities – financial literacy | Pearson ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is no obligation for consumers to attain a minimum standard of literacy in credit or finance generally. Financial literacy is one among a number of strategies directed towards inducing changes in consumer behaviour. It sits between the old regulatory model which relies on disclosure of information for effective and ...

Mobile Health Application and e-Health Literacy: Opportunities and Concerns for Cancer Patients and Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyunmin; Goldsmith, Joy V; Sengupta, Soham; Mahmood, Asos; Powell, M Paige; Bhatt, Jay; Chang, Cyril F; Bhuyan, Soumitra S

2017-11-14

Health literacy is critical for cancer patients as they must understand complex procedures or treatment options. Caregivers' health literacy also plays a crucial role in caring for cancer patients. Low health literacy is associated with low adherence to medications, poor health status, and increased health care costs. There is a growing interest in the use of mobile health applications (apps) to improve health literacy. Mobile health apps can empower underserved cancer patients and their caregivers by providing features or functionalities to enhance interactive patient-provider communication and to understand medical information more readily. Despite the potentiality of improving health literacy through mobile health apps, there exist several related concerns: no equal access to mobile technology, no familiarity or knowledge of using mobile health apps, and privacy and security concerns. These elements should be taken into account for health policy making and mobile apps design and development. Importantly, mobile apps should be developed with the goal of achieving a high range of user access by considering all health literacy level and various cultural and linguistic needs.

Government capacities and stakeholders: what facilitates ehealth legislation?

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Newly established high-technology areas such as eHealth require regulations regarding the interoperability of health information infrastructures and data protection. It is argued that government capacities as well as the extent to which public and private organizations participate in policy-making determine the level of eHealth legislation. Both explanatory factors are influenced by international organizations that provide knowledge transfer and encourage private actor participation. Methods Data analysis is based on the Global Observatory for eHealth - ATLAS eHealth country profiles which summarizes eHealth policies in 114 countries. Data analysis was carried out using two-component hurdle models with a truncated Poisson model for positive counts and a hurdle component model with a binomial distribution for zero or greater counts. Results The analysis reveals that the participation of private organizations such as donors has negative effects on the level of eHealth legislation. The impact of public-private partnerships (PPPs) depends on the degree of government capacities already available and on democratic regimes. Democracies are more responsive to these new regulatory demands than autocracies. Democracies find it easier to transfer knowledge out of PPPs than autocracies. Government capacities increase the knowledge transfer effect of PPPs, thus leading to more eHealth legislation. Conclusions All international regimes – the WHO, the EU, and the OECD – promote PPPs in order to ensure the construction of a national eHealth infrastructure. This paper shows that the development of government capacities in the eHealth domain has to be given a higher priority than the establishment of PPPs, since the existence of some (initial) capacities is the sine qua non of further capacity building. PMID:24410989

Modeling patients' acceptance of provider-delivered e-health.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, E Vance; Lankton, Nancy K

2004-01-01

Health care providers are beginning to deliver a range of Internet-based services to patients; however, it is not clear which of these e-health services patients need or desire. The authors propose that patients' acceptance of provider-delivered e-health can be modeled in advance of application development by measuring the effects of several key antecedents to e-health use and applying models of acceptance developed in the information technology (IT) field. This study tested three theoretical models of IT acceptance among patients who had recently registered for access to provider-delivered e-health. An online questionnaire administered items measuring perceptual constructs from the IT acceptance models (intrinsic motivation, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness/extrinsic motivation, and behavioral intention to use e-health) and five hypothesized antecedents (satisfaction with medical care, health care knowledge, Internet dependence, information-seeking preference, and health care need). Responses were collected and stored in a central database. All tested IT acceptance models performed well in predicting patients' behavioral intention to use e-health. Antecedent factors of satisfaction with provider, information-seeking preference, and Internet dependence uniquely predicted constructs in the models. Information technology acceptance models provide a means to understand which aspects of e-health are valued by patients and how this may affect future use. In addition, antecedents to the models can be used to predict e-health acceptance in advance of system development.

eHealth voor Zorgprocesinnovatie : e-book

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dr. A.L. Cordia

2015-01-01

Het E-book 'eHealth voor Zorgprocesinnovatie' van ir. Anneloes Cordia, expert bij Kenniscentrum Zorginnovatie, heeft als doel eHealth en ICT-systemen in de zorg in verband te brengen met de belangrijke kwaliteitsdoelstellingen zoals doelmatigheid en transparantie. Daarnaast biedt het E-book

eHealth development: a holistic approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lentferink, Aniek

2016-01-01

This presentation was held during the course 'eHealth development a holistic approach' at the University of Twente. The presentation included information about the project Quantified Self at Work and specifically the approach of co-creation during eHealth design with important stakeholders.

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Keijser, Wouter; Smits, Jacco; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste

2016-07-04

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective "physician e-leadership" (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and criteria, including snowball sampling. They were synthesized with existing theoretical models on VT research, healthcare team competencies and medical leadership. Findings Six domains for further PeL inquiry are delineated: resources, task processes, socio-emotional processes, leadership in VTs, virtual physician-patient relationship and change management. We show that, to date, PeL studies on socio-technical dynamics and their consequences on e-health are found underrepresented in the health literature; i.e. no single empirical, theoretic or conceptual study with a focus on PeL in virtual healthcare work was identified. Research limitations/implications E-health practices could benefit from organization-behavioral type of research for discerning effective physicians' roles and inter-professional relations and their (so far) seemingly modest but potent impact on e-health developments. Practical implications Although best practices in e-health care have already been identified, this paper shows that physicians' roles in e-health initiatives have not yet received any in-depth study. This raises questions such as are physicians not yet sufficiently involved in e-health? If so, what (dis)advantages may this have for current e-health investments and how can they best become involved in (leading) e-health applications' design and implementation in the field? Originality/value If effective medical leadership is being deployed, e-health effectiveness may be enhanced; this new proposition needs urgent empirical scrutiny.

eHealth for Patient Engagement: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Barello, Serena; Triberti, Stefano; Graffigna, Guendalina; Libreri, Chiara; Serino, Silvia; Hibbard, Judith; Riva, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

eHealth interventions are recognized to have a tremendous potential to promote patient engagement. To date, the majority of studies examine the efficacy of eHealth in enhancing clinical outcomes without focusing on patient engagement in its specificity. This paper aimed at reviewing findings from the literature about the use of eHealth in engaging patients in their own care process. We undertook a comprehensive literature search within the peer-reviewed international literature. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. eHealth interventions reviewed were mainly devoted to foster only partial dimensions of patient engagement (i.e., alternatively cognitive, emotional or behavioral domains related to healthcare management), thus failing to consider the complexity of such an experience. This also led to a great heterogeneity of technologies, assessed variables and achieved outcomes. This systematic review underlines the need for a more holistic view of patient needs to actually engage them in eHealth interventions and obtaining positive outcomes. In this sense, patient engagement constitute a new frontiers for healthcare models where eHealth could maximize its potentialities.

Monitoring and Benchmarking eHealth in the Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Nøhr, Christian; Koch, Sabine; Vimarlund, Vivian; Gilstad, Heidi; Faxvaag, Arild; Hardardottir, Gudrun Audur; Andreassen, Hege K; Kangas, Maarit; Reponen, Jarmo; Bertelsen, Pernille; Villumsen, Sidsel; Hyppönen, Hannele

2018-01-01

The Nordic eHealth Research Network, a subgroup of the Nordic Council of Ministers eHealth group, is working on developing indicators to monitor progress in availability, use and outcome of eHealth applications in the Nordic countries. This paper reports on the consecutive analysis of National eHealth policies in the Nordic countries from 2012 to 2016. Furthermore, it discusses the consequences for the development of indicators that can measure changes in the eHealth environment arising from the policies. The main change in policies is reflected in a shift towards more stakeholder involvement and intensified focus on clinical infrastructure. This change suggests developing indicators that can monitor understandability and usability of eHealth systems, and the use and utility of shared information infrastructure from the perspective of the end-users - citizens/patients and clinicians in particular.

Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Toycan, Mehmet

2018-01-01

Background E-health technology applications are essential tools of modern information technology that improve quality of healthcare delivery in hospitals of both developed and developing countries. However, despite its positive benefits, studies indicate that the rate of the e-health adoption in some developing countries is either low or underutilized. This is due in part, to barriers such as resistance from healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, and low technical expertise among others. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate, identify and analyze the underlying factors that affect healthcare professionals decision to adopt and use e-health technology applications in developing countries, with particular reference to hospitals in Nigeria. Methods The study used a cross sectional approach in the form of a close-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 465 healthcare professionals randomly selected from 15 hospitals in Nigeria. We used the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the dependent variable and external factors as independent variables. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis such as frequency test, reliability analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis. Results The results obtained, which correspond with findings from other researches published, indicate that perceived usefulness, belief, willingness, as well as attitude of healthcare professionals have significant influence on their intention to adopt and use the e-health technology applications. Other strategic factors identified include low literacy level and experience in using the e-health technology applications, lack of motivation, poor organizational and management policies. Conclusion The study contributes to the literature by pinpointing significant areas where findings can positively affect, or be found useful by, healthcare policy decision makers in Nigeria and other developing countries. This can help them

Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zayyad, Musa Ahmed; Toycan, Mehmet

2018-01-01

E-health technology applications are essential tools of modern information technology that improve quality of healthcare delivery in hospitals of both developed and developing countries. However, despite its positive benefits, studies indicate that the rate of the e-health adoption in some developing countries is either low or underutilized. This is due in part, to barriers such as resistance from healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, and low technical expertise among others. The aim of this study is to investigate, identify and analyze the underlying factors that affect healthcare professionals decision to adopt and use e-health technology applications in developing countries, with particular reference to hospitals in Nigeria. The study used a cross sectional approach in the form of a close-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 465 healthcare professionals randomly selected from 15 hospitals in Nigeria. We used the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the dependent variable and external factors as independent variables. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis such as frequency test, reliability analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis. The results obtained, which correspond with findings from other researches published, indicate that perceived usefulness, belief, willingness, as well as attitude of healthcare professionals have significant influence on their intention to adopt and use the e-health technology applications. Other strategic factors identified include low literacy level and experience in using the e-health technology applications, lack of motivation, poor organizational and management policies. The study contributes to the literature by pinpointing significant areas where findings can positively affect, or be found useful by, healthcare policy decision makers in Nigeria and other developing countries. This can help them understand their areas of priorities and weaknesses

Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa Ahmed Zayyad

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background E-health technology applications are essential tools of modern information technology that improve quality of healthcare delivery in hospitals of both developed and developing countries. However, despite its positive benefits, studies indicate that the rate of the e-health adoption in some developing countries is either low or underutilized. This is due in part, to barriers such as resistance from healthcare professionals, poor infrastructure, and low technical expertise among others. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate, identify and analyze the underlying factors that affect healthcare professionals decision to adopt and use e-health technology applications in developing countries, with particular reference to hospitals in Nigeria. Methods The study used a cross sectional approach in the form of a close-ended questionnaire to collect quantitative data from a sample of 465 healthcare professionals randomly selected from 15 hospitals in Nigeria. We used the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM as the dependent variable and external factors as independent variables. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis such as frequency test, reliability analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis. Results The results obtained, which correspond with findings from other researches published, indicate that perceived usefulness, belief, willingness, as well as attitude of healthcare professionals have significant influence on their intention to adopt and use the e-health technology applications. Other strategic factors identified include low literacy level and experience in using the e-health technology applications, lack of motivation, poor organizational and management policies. Conclusion The study contributes to the literature by pinpointing significant areas where findings can positively affect, or be found useful by, healthcare policy decision makers in Nigeria and other developing countries. This

Determination of Media and Television Literacy Levels of Sport Consumers Filtered out of the Students of the School of Physical Education and Sports

Science.gov (United States)

Unal, Hakan

2014-01-01

This study is aimed to determine the literacy levels of media and television and the level of addiction of sport consumers filtered out of the students of the School of Physical Education and Sports and to investigate the relationship between these two levels. Sport consumers studying in Mugla University, School of Physical Education and Sports…

eHealth in Saudi Arabia: Current Trends, Challenges and Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsulame, Khaled; Khalifa, Mohamed; Househ, Mowafa

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the current status of eHealth in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of health informatics professionals. We used a case study approach and analyzed participant data using thematic analysis. The study took place between July and August 2013. Data collection included interviews with nine senior health information professionals in Saudi Arabia. The findings describe participant views on current eHealth trends in Saudi Arabia and show differences among Saudi healthcare organizations in terms of eHealth adoption. Participants also describe the challenges relating to organizational and cultural issues, end user attitudes towards eHealth projects, and the lack of specialized human resources to implement eHealth systems. Two main recommendations made by the participants were to form a new national body for eHealth and to develop a unified plan for the implementation of Saudi eHealth initiatives.

How Should We Define eHealth, and Does the Definition Matter?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Showell, Chris; Nøhr, Christian

2012-01-01

There is no useful definition for eHealth; we would like to find one. This study will provide a contribution to clarify the discussion on eHealth as a concept to enhance the understanding of the range of meanings which have been ascribed to the term ehealth.......There is no useful definition for eHealth; we would like to find one. This study will provide a contribution to clarify the discussion on eHealth as a concept to enhance the understanding of the range of meanings which have been ascribed to the term ehealth....

E-health readiness assessment for e-health framework for Africa: a case study of hospitals in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Coleman, A

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This study assessed e-healthcare readiness of rural and urban hospitals in North West Province of South Africa. Outcome of assessment led to creation of e-health architectural framework for e-health solutions. Assessment was conducted in usage...

Conceptualizing ‘role’ in patient-engaging e-health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langstrup, Henriette; Rahbek, Anja Elkjær

2015-01-01

Patient-engaging eHealth is promoted as a means to improve care and change the social order of healthcare – most notably the roles of patients and healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, while researchers across various fields expect and praise such changes, these social aspects are rarely...... addressed rigorously in the literature on the effects of eHealth. In this paper we review the scientific literature on patient-engaging eHealth with the purpose of articulating the different ways in which role is conceptualized in the different strands of literature and what explicit and implicit...... to be at stake when using eHealth to further the involvement of patients in their own care. We argue that a more rigorous and reflective approach to the use of concepts with rich intellectual histories such as the concept of role will qualify both empirical research in eHealth as well as discussions...

Barriers & challenges to the adoption of E-Health standards in Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Adebesin, F

2013-07-01

Full Text Available at an alarming rate, without corresponding improvement in the quality of care rendered [13]. De- spite the economic recession, the United States’ 2010 health spend per person was $8402; with an overall spending of $2.6 trillion. This accounted for nearly 17... is available to care providers when required. Consumers also be- come active participants in ensuring their well-being through access to reliable, accredited health information [7]. For the provider, e-health supports informed decision making through...

Investing in e-health

CERN Document Server

Gustafson, David H; Hawkins, Robert P

2007-01-01

As the Internet's presence in health care grows more pervasive, an increasing number of health care providers have begun to implement eHealth innovations in their practice. This book explores the development of a model to predict and explain the degree of success it is possible to achieve in implementing e-health systems. This model allows an institution to benchmark its progress towards IHCS implementation and advises administrators where to invest resources to increase the chance of successful implementation. A set of case studies highlights key features of the model, with each case study fu

Women's expectations and experiences regarding e-health treatment: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhoeks, Carmen; Teunissen, Doreth; van der Stelt-Steenbergen, Anke; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2017-08-01

There is a gap in knowledge of women's perceptions of e-health treatment. This review aims to investigate women's expectations and experiences regarding e-health. A search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycInfo in March 2016. We included articles published between 2000 and March 2016, reporting on e-health interventions. The initial search yielded 2987 articles. Eventually, 16 articles reporting on 16 studies were included. Barriers to e-health treatment were lower for women than barriers to face-to-face treatment, such as feelings of shame and time constraints. Women were able to develop an online therapeutic relationship. As reduced feelings of obligation and lack of motivation were women's greatest challenges in completing e-health treatment, they expressed a wish for more support during e-health treatment, preferably blended care. e-Health lowers the threshold for women to seek healthcare. Combining e-health interventions with face-to-face sessions may enhance women's motivation to complete treatment.

Education-Based Gaps in eHealth: A Weighted Logistic Regression Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Amo, Laura

2016-10-12

Persons with a college degree are more likely to engage in eHealth behaviors than persons without a college degree, compounding the health disadvantages of undereducated groups in the United States. However, the extent to which quality of recent eHealth experience reduces the education-based eHealth gap is unexplored. The goal of this study was to examine how eHealth information search experience moderates the relationship between college education and eHealth behaviors. Based on a nationally representative sample of adults who reported using the Internet to conduct the most recent health information search (n=1458), I evaluated eHealth search experience in relation to the likelihood of engaging in different eHealth behaviors. I examined whether Internet health information search experience reduces the eHealth behavior gaps among college-educated and noncollege-educated adults. Weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the probability of different eHealth behaviors. College education was significantly positively related to the likelihood of 4 eHealth behaviors. In general, eHealth search experience was negatively associated with health care behaviors, health information-seeking behaviors, and user-generated or content sharing behaviors after accounting for other covariates. Whereas Internet health information search experience has narrowed the education gap in terms of likelihood of using email or Internet to communicate with a doctor or health care provider and likelihood of using a website to manage diet, weight, or health, it has widened the education gap in the instances of searching for health information for oneself, searching for health information for someone else, and downloading health information on a mobile device. The relationship between college education and eHealth behaviors is moderated by Internet health information search experience in different ways depending on the type of eHealth behavior. After controlling for college

Social Support for Diabetes Self-Management via eHealth Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorderstrasse, Allison; Lewinski, Allison; Melkus, Gail D'Eramo; Johnson, Constance

2016-07-01

eHealth interventions have been increasingly used to provide social support for self-management of type 2 diabetes. In this review, we discuss social support interventions, types of support provided, sources or providers of support, outcomes of the support interventions (clinical, behavioral, psychosocial), and logistical and clinical considerations for support interventions using eHealth technologies. Many types of eHealth interventions demonstrated improvements in self-management behaviors, psychosocial outcomes, and clinical measures, particularly HbA1c. Important factors to consider in clinical application of eHealth support interventions include participant preferences, usability of eHealth technology, and availability of personnel to orient or assist participants. Overall, eHealth is a promising adjunct to clinical care as it addresses the need for ongoing support in chronic disease management.

EHealth Technologies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Belinda D; Gray, Kathleen; Knowles, Simon R; De Cruz, Peter

2016-09-01

Electronic-health technologies (eHealth) such as Web-based interventions, virtual clinics, smart-phone applications, and telemedicine are being used to manage patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to: (1) Evaluate the impact of eHealth technologies on conventional clinical indices and patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) in IBD; (2) assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of using eHealth technologies to facilitate the self-management of individuals with IBD, and; (3) provide recommendations for their design and optimal use for patient care. Relevant publications were identified via a literature search, and 17 publications were selected based on predefined quality parameters. Six randomized controlled trials and nine observational studies utilizing eHealth technologies in IBD were identified. Compared with standard outpatient-led care, eHealth technologies have led to improvements in: Relapse duration [(n = 1) 18 days vs 77 days, p eHealth studies include heterogeneity of outcome measures, lack of clinician/patient input, lack of validation against conventional clinical indices and PROs, and limited cost-benefit analyses. EHealth technologies have the potential for promoting self-management and reducing the impact of the growing burden of IBD on health care resource utilization. A theoretical framework should be applied to the development, implementation, and evaluation of eHealth interventions. Copyright © 2016 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Education-Based Gaps in eHealth: A Weighted Logistic Regression Approach

OpenAIRE

Amo, Laura

2016-01-01

Background Persons with a college degree are more likely to engage in eHealth behaviors than persons without a college degree, compounding the health disadvantages of undereducated groups in the United States. However, the extent to which quality of recent eHealth experience reduces the education-based eHealth gap is unexplored. Objective The goal of this study was to examine how eHealth information search experience moderates the relationship between college education and eHealth behaviors. ...

Appraisal Skills, Health Literacy and the Patient-Provider Relationship: Considerations as the Health Care Consumer Turns to the Internet to Inform their Care.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Dell, Rosann

2012-01-01

Health care consumers increasingly obtain health information from the Internet to inform their health care; the health care consumer, who also has the role of patient, maintains the right to access information from sources of their choosing for this purpose. However, noteworthy considerations exist including information appraisal skills, health literacy and the patient-provider relationship. Awareness and education are warranted to assist the health care consumer in achieving proficiency as they turn to the Internet for health information.

An integrative ICT platform for eHealth

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Alberts, Ronell

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Both eHealth and mHealth have much potential for efficient and effective health service delivery. However, fragmentation of applications and the lack of interoperability have been identified as major challenges for the effective deployment of eHealth...

A scoping review of Australian allied health research in ehealth.

Science.gov (United States)

Iacono, Teresa; Stagg, Kellie; Pearce, Natalie; Hulme Chambers, Alana

2016-10-04

Uptake of e-health, the use of information communication technologies (ICT) for health service delivery, in allied health appears to be lagging behind other health care areas, despite offering the potential to address problems with service access by rural and remote Australians. The aim of the study was to conduct a scoping review of studies into the application of or attitudes towards ehealth amongst allied health professionals conducted in Australia. Studies meeting inclusion criteria published from January 2004 to June 2015 were reviewed. Professions included were audiology, dietetics, exercise physiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, social work, and speech pathology. Terms for these professions and forms of ehealth were combined in databases of CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, PsycINFO (1806 - Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid) and AMED (Ovid). Forty-four studies meeting inclusion criteria were summarised. They were either trials of aspects of ehealth service delivery, or clinician and/or client use of and attitudes towards ehealth. Trials of ehealth were largely from two research groups located at the Universities of Sydney and Queensland; most involved speech pathology and physiotherapy. Assessments through ehealth and intervention outcomes through ehealth were comparable with face-to-face delivery. Clinicians used ICT mostly for managing their work and for professional development, but were reticent about its use in service delivery, which contrasted with the more positive attitudes and experiences of clients. The potential of ehealth to address allied health needs of Australians living in rural and remote Australia appears unrealised. Clinicians may need to embrace ehealth as a means to radicalise practice, rather than replicate existing practices through a different mode of delivery.

Enhanced health E-decision literacy via interactive multi-criterial support

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaltoft, Mette Kjer; Almeida, J.; Moncho Mas, Vicent

Healthcare lacks a generic language for decisional communication. We aim to enhance health decision literacy via specific e-decision support. Given the multi-criterial, preference-sensitive nature of decision-making, we implement the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) technique online...... in an interactive and visual template (Annalisa), developing decision-specific tools at the clinical/personal and group/policy levels. Our current nationally funded project on bone health caters for home-prepared, informed and preference-based consent and taps into existing e-health infrastructures towards person...

General Practitioners' Perspective on eHealth and Lifestyle Change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Carl Joakim; Søgaard, Gabrielle Isidora; Clemensen, Jane

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Wearables, fitness apps, and patient home monitoring devices are used increasingly by patients and other individuals with lifestyle challenges. All Danish general practitioners (GPs) use digital health records and electronic health (eHealth) consultations on a daily basis, but how...... they perceive the increasing demand for lifestyle advice and whether they see eHealth as part of their lifestyle support should be explored further. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore GPs' perspectives on eHealth devices and apps and the use of eHealth in supporting healthy lifestyle behavior...... or in partnership with 1 to 4 colleagues and all use electronic patient health records for prescription, referral, and asynchronous electronic consultations. We performed qualitative, semistructured, individual in-depth interviews with the GPs in their own office about how they used eHealth and mHealth devices...

eHealth Search Patterns: A Comparison of Private and Public Health Care Markets Using Online Panel Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Janina Anne; Holland, Christopher Patrick

2017-04-13

Patient and consumer access to eHealth information is of crucial importance because of its role in patient-centered medicine and to improve knowledge about general aspects of health and medical topics. The objectives were to analyze and compare eHealth search patterns in a private (United States) and a public (United Kingdom) health care market. A new taxonomy of eHealth websites is proposed to organize the largest eHealth websites. An online measurement framework is developed that provides a precise and detailed measurement system. Online panel data are used to accurately track and analyze detailed search behavior across 100 of the largest eHealth websites in the US and UK health care markets. The health, medical, and lifestyle categories account for approximately 90% of online activity, and e-pharmacies, social media, and professional categories account for the remaining 10% of online activity. Overall search penetration of eHealth websites is significantly higher in the private (United States) than the public market (United Kingdom). Almost twice the number of eHealth users in the private market have adopted online search in the health and lifestyle categories and also spend more time per website than those in the public market. The use of medical websites for specific conditions is almost identical in both markets. The allocation of search effort across categories is similar in both the markets. For all categories, the vast majority of eHealth users only access one website within each category. Those that conduct a search of two or more websites display very narrow search patterns. All users spend relatively little time on eHealth, that is, 3-7 minutes per website. The proposed online measurement framework exploits online panel data to provide a powerful and objective method of analyzing and exploring eHealth behavior. The private health care system does appear to have an influence on eHealth search behavior in terms of search penetration and time spent per

Adoption of e-health technology by physicians: a scoping review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Grood C

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Chloe de Grood,1 Aida Raissi,2 Yoojin Kwon,3 Maria Jose Santana1 1Department of Community Health Sciences, W21C Research and Innovation Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, 2University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, 3Toronto Public Library, Toronto, ON, Canada Objective: The goal of this scoping review was to summarize the current literature identifying barriers and opportunities that facilitate adoption of e-health technology by physicians.Design: Scoping review.Setting: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases as provided by Ovid were searched from their inception to July 2015. Studies captured by the search strategy were screened by two reviewers and included if the focus was on barriers and facilitators of e-health technology adoption by physicians.Results: Full-text screening yielded 74 studies to be included in the scoping review. Within those studies, eleven themes were identified, including cost and liability issues, unwillingness to use e-health technology, and training and support.Conclusion: Cost and liability issues, unwillingness to use e-health technology, and training and support were the most frequently mentioned barriers and facilitators to the adoption of e-health technology. Government-level payment incentives and privacy laws to protect health information may be the key to overcome cost and liability issues. The adoption of e-health technology may be facilitated by tailoring to the individual physician’s knowledge of the e-health technology and the use of follow-up sessions for physicians and on-site experts to support their use of the e-health technology. To ensure the effective uptake of e-health technologies, physician perspectives need to be considered in creating an environment that enables the adoption of e-health strategies. Keywords: medical informatics, electronic medical records, diffusion of innovation, attitude of health personnel, information seeking behavior

Third Intensive Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

and Cultural Affairs HD High Definition ISDN Integrates Services Digital Network IStTeH International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth IT...Lievens1,2, Marlina Jordanova, MD, PhD3,4 1International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth , Switzerland;2Med-e-Tel, Grimbergen, Belgium; 3Med-e-Tel...Approach F. Lievens 1,2,3, M. Jordanova 4,5 1 Board Member and Secretary, International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth (ISfTeH), Switzerland 2

The Impact of Health Literacy on a Patient's Decision to Adopt a Personal Health Record

Science.gov (United States)

Noblin, Alice M.; Wan, Thomas T. H.; Fottler, Myron

2012-01-01

Health literacy is a concept that describes a patient's ability to understand materials provided by physicians or other providers. Several factors, including education level, income, and age, can influence health literacy. Research conducted at one medical practice in Florida indicated that in spite of the patients’ relatively low education level, the majority indicated a broad acceptance of personal health record (PHR) technology. The key variable explaining patient willingness to adopt a PHR was the patient's health literacy as measured by the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS). Adoption and use rates may also depend on the availability of office staff for hands-on training as well as assistance with interpretation of medical information. It is hoped that technology barriers will disappear over time, and usefulness of the information will promote increased utilization of PHRs. Patient understanding of the information remains a challenge that must be overcome to realize the full potential of PHRs. PMID:23209454

eHealth, care and quality of life

CERN Document Server

Capello, Fabio; Manca, Marco

2014-01-01

The debate over eHealth is alive as never before. Supporters suggest that it will result in dramatic innovations in healthcare, including a giant leap towards patient-centered care, new opportunities to improve effectiveness, and enhanced wellness and quality of life. In addition, the growing market value of investments in health IT suggests that eHealth can offer at least a partial cure for the current economic stagnation. Detractors counter these arguments by claiming that eHealth has already failed: the UK Department of Health has shut down the NHS National Program for IT, Google has discontinued its Health flagship, and doubts have arisen over privacy safeguards for both patients and medical professionals. This book briefly explains why caregivers, professionals, technicians, patients, politicians, and others should all consider themselves stakeholders in eHealth. It offers myth-busting responses to some ill-considered arguments from both sides of the trench, in the process allowing a fresh look at eHeal...

Commentary: Pediatric eHealth Interventions: Common Challenges During Development, Implementation, and Dissemination

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Ric G.; Connelly, Mark A.; Palermo, Tonya M.; Ritterband, Lee M.

2014-01-01

Objective To provide an overview of common challenges that pediatric eHealth researchers may encounter when planning, developing, testing, and disseminating eHealth interventions along with proposed solutions for addressing these challenges. Methods The article draws on the existing eHealth literature and the authors’ collective experience in pediatric eHealth research. Results and conclusions The challenges associated with eHealth interventions and their proposed solutions are multifaceted and cut across a number of areas from eHealth program development through dissemination. Collaboration with a range of individuals (e.g., multidisciplinary colleagues, commercial entities, primary stakeholders) is the key to eHealth intervention success. To ensure adequate resources for design, development, and planning for sustainability, a number of public and private sources of funding are available. A study design that addresses ethical concerns and security issues is critical to ensure scientific integrity and intervention dissemination. Table I summarizes key issues to consider during eHealth intervention development, testing, and dissemination. PMID:24816766

Financial Literacy, Financial Education, and Economic Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Justine S.; Madrian, Brigitte C.; Skimmyhorn, William L.

2013-01-01

In this article, we review the literature on financial literacy, financial education, and consumer financial outcomes. We consider how financial literacy is measured in the current literature and examine how well the existing literature addresses whether financial education improves financial literacy or personal financial outcomes. We discuss the…

eHealth Applications Promising Strategies for Behavior Change

CERN Document Server

Noar, Seth M

2012-01-01

eHealth Applications: Promising Strategies for Behavior Change provides an overview of technological applications in contemporary health communication research, exploring the history and current uses of eHealth applications in disease prevention and management. This volume focuses on the use of these technology-based interventions for public health promotion and explores the rapid growth of an innovative interdisciplinary field. The chapters in this work discuss key eHealth applications by presenting research examining a variety of technology-based applications. Authors Seth M. Noar and Nancy

Requirements for and barriers towards interoperable ehealth technology in primary care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oude Nijeweme-d'Hollosy, Wendeline; van Velsen, Lex Stefan; Huygens, Martine; Hermens, Hermanus J.

Despite eHealth technology's rapid growth, eHealth applications are rarely embedded within primary care, mostly because systems lack interoperability. This article identifies requirements for, and barriers towards, interoperable eHealth technology from healthcare professionals' perspective -- the

E-health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkjaer, Margarita

2012-01-01

decrease the use of endoscopy in some cases. The findings corresponded well with action plan for a European e-Health Area and could be a helpful tool to provide more efficient health care for UC patients. Widespread implementation of the "Constant-Care" is possible, but it may require a reshaping...

Health Professionals' Expanding eHealth Competences for Supporting Patients' Self-Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Kujala, Sari; Rajalahti, Elina; Heponiemi, Tarja; Hilama, Pirjo

2018-01-01

An increasing number of new eHealth services that support patients' self-management has changed health professionals' work and has created a need for a new eHealth competence. In this study, we evaluated the health professionals' eHealth competences and training needs in a public health organization in Finland. The target organization's goal was to increase the number of eHealth services provided to patients, and health professionals and their competences were seen as critical for the adoption of services. Data was collected through an online survey of 701 health professionals working in the target organization. Professionals perceived their basic computer skills as good and they were mostly willing to use eHealth services in patient work. However, health professionals need guidance, especially in their patient work in the new eHealth-enabled environment. They were less confident about their competence to motivate and advise patients to use eHealth services and how to communicate with patients using eHealth solutions. The results also imply that eHealth competence is not merely about an individual's skills but that organizations need to develop new working processes, work practices and distribution of work. We suggest that the training and support needs identified be considered in curricula and lifelong learning.

Embedding health literacy into health systems: a case study of a regional health service.

Science.gov (United States)

Vellar, Lucia; Mastroianni, Fiorina; Lambert, Kelly

2017-12-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to describe how one regional health service the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District embedded health literacy principles into health systems over a 3-year period. Methods Using a case study approach, this article describes the development of key programs and the manner in which clinical incidents were used to create a health environment that allows consumers the right to equitably access quality health services and to participate in their own health care. Results The key outcomes demonstrating successful embedding of health literacy into health systems in this regional health service include the creation of a governance structure and web-based platform for developing and testing plain English consumer health information, a clearly defined process to engage with consumers, development of the health literacy ambassador training program and integrating health literacy into clinical quality improvement processes via a formal program with consumers to guide processes such as improvements to access and navigation around hospital sites. Conclusions The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has developed an evidence-based health literacy framework, guided by the core principles of universal precaution and organisational responsibility. Health literacy was also viewed as both an outcome and a process. The approach taken by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to address poor health literacy in a coordinated way has been recognised by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care as an exemplar of a coordinated approach to embed health literacy into health systems. What is known about the topic? Poor health literacy is a significant national concern in Australia. The leadership, governance and consumer partnership culture of a health organisation can have considerable effects on an individual's ability to access, understand and apply the health-related information and services available to them

National eHealth strategy toolkit

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

Worldwide the application of information and communication technologies to support national health-care services is rapidly expanding and increasingly important. This is especially so at a time when all health systems face stringent economic challenges and greater demands to provide more and better care especially to those most in need. The National eHealth Strategy Toolkit is an expert practical guide that provides governments their ministries and stakeholders with a solid foundation and method for the development and implementation of a national eHealth vision action plan and monitoring fram

Designing eHealth that Matters via a Multidisciplinary Requirements Development Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Velsen, Lex; Wentzel, Jobke; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia Ewc

2013-06-24

Requirements development is a crucial part of eHealth design. It entails all the activities devoted to requirements identification, the communication of requirements to other developers, and their evaluation. Currently, a requirements development approach geared towards the specifics of the eHealth domain is lacking. This is likely to result in a mismatch between the developed technology and end user characteristics, physical surroundings, and the organizational context of use. It also makes it hard to judge the quality of eHealth design, since it makes it difficult to gear evaluations of eHealth to the main goals it is supposed to serve. In order to facilitate the creation of eHealth that matters, we present a practical, multidisciplinary requirements development approach which is embedded in a holistic design approach for eHealth (the Center for eHealth Research roadmap) that incorporates both human-centered design and business modeling. Our requirements development approach consists of five phases. In the first, preparatory, phase the project team is composed and the overall goal(s) of the eHealth intervention are decided upon. Second, primary end users and other stakeholders are identified by means of audience segmentation techniques and our stakeholder identification method. Third, the designated context of use is mapped and end users are profiled by means of requirements elicitation methods (eg, interviews, focus groups, or observations). Fourth, stakeholder values and eHealth intervention requirements are distilled from data transcripts, which leads to phase five, in which requirements are communicated to other developers using a requirements notation template we developed specifically for the context of eHealth technologies. The end result of our requirements development approach for eHealth interventions is a design document which includes functional and non-functional requirements, a list of stakeholder values, and end user profiles in the form of

Development of an e-supported illness management and recovery programme for consumers with severe mental illness using intervention mapping, and design of an early cluster randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Beentjes, Titus A A; van Gaal, Betsie G I; Goossens, Peter J J; Schoonhoven, Lisette

2016-01-19

E-mental health is a promising medium to keep mental health affordable and accessible. For consumers with severe mental illness the evidence of the effectiveness of e-health is limited. A number of difficulties and barriers have to be addressed concerning e-health for consumers with severe mental illness. One possible solution might be to blend e-health with face-to-face delivery of a recovery-oriented treatment, like the Illness Management & Recovery (IMR) programme. This paper describes the development of an e-health application for the IMR programme and the design of an early clustered randomized controlled trial. We developed the e-IMR intervention according to the six-step protocol of Intervention Mapping. Consumers joined the development group to address important and relevant issues for the target group. Decisions during the six-step development process were based on qualitative evaluations of the Illness Management & Recovery programme, structured interviews, discussion in the development group, and literature reviews on qualitative papers concerning consumers with severe mental illness, theoretical models, behavioural change techniques, and telemedicine for consumers with severe mental illness. The aim of the e-IMR intervention is to help consumers with severe mental illness to involve others, manage achieving goals, and prevent relapse. The e-IMR intervention consists of face-to-face delivery of the Illness Management & Recovery programme and an e-health application containing peer-testimonials on videos, follow up on goals and coping strategies, monitoring symptoms, solving problems, and communication opportunities. We designed an early cluster randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the e-IMR intervention. In the control condition the Illness Management & Recovery programme is provided. The main effect-study parameters are: illness management, recovery, psychiatric symptoms severity, self-management, quality of life, and general health. The

Self-Reported Digital Literacy of the Pharmacy Workforce in North East Scotland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katie MacLure

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In their day-to-day practice, pharmacists, graduate (pre-registration pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, dispensing assistants and medicines counter assistants use widely available office, retail and management information systems alongside dedicated pharmacy management and electronic health (ehealth applications. The ability of pharmacy staff to use these applications at home and at work, also known as digital literacy or digital competence or e-skills, depends on personal experience and related education and training. The aim of this research was to gain insight into the self-reported digital literacy of the pharmacy workforce in the North East of Scotland. A purposive case sample survey was conducted across NHS Grampian in the NE of Scotland. Data collection was based on five items: sex, age band, role, pharmacy experience plus a final question about self-reported digital literacy. The study was conducted between August 2012 and March 2013 in 17 community and two hospital pharmacies. With few exceptions, pharmacy staff perceived their own digital literacy to be at a basic level. Secondary outcome measures of role, age, gender and work experience were not found to be clear determinants of digital literacy. Pharmacy staff need to be more digitally literate to harness technologies in pharmacy practice more effectively and efficiently.

eHealth research from the user's perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesse, Bradford W; Shneiderman, Ben

2007-05-01

The application of information technology (IT) to issues of healthcare delivery has had a long and tortuous history in the United States. Within the field of eHealth, vanguard applications of advanced computing techniques, such as applications in artificial intelligence or expert systems, have languished in spite of a track record of scholarly publication and decisional accuracy. The problem is one of purpose, of asking the right questions for the science to solve. Historically, many computer science pioneers have been tempted to ask "what can the computer do?" New advances in eHealth are prompting developers to ask "what can people do?" How can eHealth take part in national goals for healthcare reform to empower relationships between healthcare professionals and patients, healthcare teams and families, and hospitals and communities to improve health equitably throughout the population? To do this, eHealth researchers must combine best evidence from the user sciences (human factors engineering, human-computer interaction, psychology, and usability) with best evidence in medicine to create transformational improvements in the quality of care that medicine offers. These improvements should follow recommendations from the Institute of Medicine to create a healthcare system that is (1) safe, (2) effective (evidence based), (3) patient centered, and (4) timely. Relying on the eHealth researcher's intuitive grasp of systems issues, improvements should be made with considerations of users and beneficiaries at the individual (patient-physician), group (family-staff), community, and broad environmental levels.

Commentary: pediatric eHealth interventions: common challenges during development, implementation, and dissemination.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yelena P; Steele, Ric G; Connelly, Mark A; Palermo, Tonya M; Ritterband, Lee M

2014-07-01

To provide an overview of common challenges that pediatric eHealth researchers may encounter when planning, developing, testing, and disseminating eHealth interventions along with proposed solutions for addressing these challenges. The article draws on the existing eHealth literature and the authors' collective experience in pediatric eHealth research. The challenges associated with eHealth interventions and their proposed solutions are multifaceted and cut across a number of areas from eHealth program development through dissemination. Collaboration with a range of individuals (e.g., multidisciplinary colleagues, commercial entities, primary stakeholders) is the key to eHealth intervention success. To ensure adequate resources for design, development, and planning for sustainability, a number of public and private sources of funding are available. A study design that addresses ethical concerns and security issues is critical to ensure scientific integrity and intervention dissemination. Table I summarizes key issues to consider during eHealth intervention development, testing, and dissemination. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How should we define eHealth, and does the definition matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Showell, Chris; Nøhr, Christian

2012-01-01

There is no useful definition for eHealth; we would like to find one. This study will provide a contribution to clarify the discussion on eHealth as a concept to enhance the understanding of the range of meanings which have been ascribed to the term ehealth.

Attitudes Toward e-Health: The Otolaryngologists' Point of View.

Science.gov (United States)

Holderried, Martin; Hoeper, Ansgar; Holderried, Friederike; Blumenstock, Gunnar; Ernst, Christian; Tropitzsch, Anke

2018-06-01

Online communication and the number of e-health applications have noticeably increased. However, little is known about the otolaryngologists' use behavior and their attitudes toward the potential of e-health. The aims of the study were to evaluate the documentation, information, and communication technologies used by otolaryngologists and to get a better understanding of their attitudes toward the potential of e-health for cross-sectoral patient care. A survey was developed and tested by otolaryngologists, healthcare-information technology experts, and health services researchers. A total of 334 otolaryngologists in private practice were asked to participate in this cross-sectional study. In total, 234 of them took part in the study, and 157 returned completed questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed by using crosstabs, including chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regressions. Results and Materials: Digital technologies are widely used by otolaryngologists (e.g., 89.6% use an electronic health record). However, the majority of intersectoral communication is still based on analogue techniques (e.g., fax use in 63.7%). From the otolaryngologists' perspectives, the potential of e-health for intersectoral care is mostly in appointment scheduling, further referrals to hospitals, and automated appointment reminders. The physicians' attitudes toward e-health are associated with their Internet use behavior in daily life (odds ratio = 4.30, confidence interval 1.11-16.64, p = 0.035) but not with their demographics. The otolaryngologists are well prepared and have an overall positive attitude toward e-health for deeper use in cross-sectoral care. Therefore, e-health in otolaryngology needs more attention and resources for further studies, especially with a focus on quality and safety of care.

Using a Theoretical Framework to Investigate Whether the HIV/AIDS Information Needs of the AfroAIDSinfo Web Portal Members Are Met: A South African eHealth Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hendra Van Zyl

2014-03-01

Full Text Available eHealth has been identified as a useful approach to disseminate HIV/AIDS information. Together with Consumer Health Informatics (CHI, the Web-to-Public Knowledge Transfer Model (WPKTM has been applied as a theoretical framework to identify consumer needs for AfroAIDSinfo, a South African Web portal. As part of the CHI practice, regular eSurveys are conducted to determine whether these needs are changing and are continually being met. eSurveys show high rates of satisfaction with the content as well as the modes of delivery. The nature of information is thought of as reliable to reuse; both for education and for referencing of information. Using CHI and the WPKTM as a theoretical framework, it ensures that needs of consumers are being met and that they find the tailored methods of presenting the information agreeable. Combining ICTs and theories in eHealth interventions, this approach can be expanded to deliver information in other sectors of public health.

The Usefulness of a News Media Literacy Measure in Evaluating a News Literacy Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Maksl, Adam; Craft, Stephanie; Ashley, Seth; Miller, Dean

2017-01-01

A survey of college students showed those who had taken a news literacy course had significantly higher levels of news media literacy, greater knowledge of current events, and higher motivation to consume news, compared with students who had not taken the course. The effect of taking the course did not diminish over time. Results validate the News…

How Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Comorbid Health Conditions Utilize eHealth to Manage Their Health Care Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Whealin, Julia M; Jenchura, Emily C; Wong, Ava C; Zulman, Donna M

2016-10-26

Mental health conditions are prevalent among US veterans and pose a number of self-management and health care navigation challenges. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with comorbid chronic medical conditions (CMCs) is especially common, in both returning Iraq or Afghanistan and earlier war-era veterans. Patient-facing electronic health (eHealth) technology may offer innovative strategies to support these individuals' needs. This study was designed to identify the types of eHealth tools that veterans with PTSD and comorbid CMCs use, understand how they currently use eHealth technology to self-manage their unique health care needs, and identify new eHealth resources that veterans feel would empower them to better manage their health care. A total of 119 veterans with PTSD and at least one CMC who have used the electronic personal health record system of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) responded to a mailed survey about their chronic conditions and preferences related to the use of technology. After the survey, 2 focus groups, stratified by sex, were conducted with a subgroup of patients to explore how veterans with PTSD and comorbid CMCs use eHealth technology to support their complex health care needs. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using standard content analysis methods for coding textual data, guided by the "Fit between Individual, Task, and Technology" framework. Survey respondents had a mean age of 64.0 (SD 12.0) years, 85.1% (97/114) were male, 72.4% (84/116) were white, and 63.1% (70/111) had an annual household income of eHealth literacy was 27.7 (SD 9.8). Of the respondents, 44.6% (50/112) used health-related technology 1 to 3 times per month and 21.4% (24/112) used technology less than once per month. Veterans reported using technology most often to search for health information (78.9%, 90/114), communicate with providers (71.1%, 81/114), and track medications (64.9%, 74/114). Five major themes emerged that describe how

A systematic review of eHealth behavioral interventions targeting smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity and/or obesity for young adults.

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Oosterveen, Emilie; Tzelepis, Flora; Ashton, Lee; Hutchesson, Melinda J

2017-06-01

A systematic review of randomized control trials (RCT) was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth behavioral interventions aiming to improve smoking rates, nutrition behaviors, alcohol intake, physical activity levels and/or obesity (SNAPO) in young adults. Seven electronic databases were searched for RCTs published in English from 2000 to April 2015 and evaluating eHealth interventions aiming to change one or multiple SNAPO outcomes, and including young adult (18-35years) participants. Of 2,159 articles identified, 45 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions targeted alcohol (n=26), followed by smoking (n=7), physical activity (n=4), obesity (n=4) and nutrition (n=1). Three interventions targeted multiple behaviors. The eHealth interventions were most often delivered via websites (79.5%). Most studies (n=32) compared eHealth interventions to a control group (e.g. waiting list control, minimal intervention), with the majority (n=23) showing a positive effect on a SNAPO outcome at follow-up. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly lower mean number of drinks consumed/week in brief web or computer-based interventions compared to controls (Mean Difference -2.43 [-3.54, -1.32], PeHealth delivery modes, with inconsistent results across target behaviors and technology types. Nine studies compared eHealth to other modes of delivery (e.g. in person) with all finding no difference in SNAPO outcomes between groups at follow-up. This review provides some evidence for the efficacy of eHealth SNAPO interventions for young adults, particularly in the short-term and for alcohol interventions. But there is insufficient evidence for their efficacy in the longer-term, as well as which mode of delivery is most effective. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standardization and Innovation for Smart e-Health Monitoring Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihovska, Albena D.; Kyriazakos, Sofoklis; Mihaylov, Mihail Rumenov

2015-01-01

The challenges faced by standardization in relation to the potential of wireless communication technologies to deliver lower cost, higher efficiency, enhanced quality of experience and diversified smart e-Health services, are multi-fold and determined by the complexity of the myriad of emerging...... user and usage scenarios. In addition, there is the challenge of protection of privacy and the maintenance of trust. This paper aims to show the evidence of the correlation between standardization and innovation in the area of ehealth technology. It describes a capability framework proposed...... for the delivery of e-Health services in support of independent living. The proposed framework incorporates innovative research and standardized solutions. The paper addresses the correlation between standardization and innovation, in particular for the area of e-Health. It analyzes the potential of research...

The eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model: a theory derivation approach.

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Gee, Perry M; Greenwood, Deborah A; Paterniti, Debora A; Ward, Deborah; Miller, Lisa M Soederberg

2015-04-01

Chronic illnesses are significant to individuals and costly to society. When systematically implemented, the well-established and tested Chronic Care Model (CCM) is shown to improve health outcomes for people with chronic conditions. Since the development of the original CCM, tremendous information management, communication, and technology advancements have been established. An opportunity exists to improve the time-honored CCM with clinically efficacious eHealth tools. The first goal of this paper was to review research on eHealth tools that support self-management of chronic disease using the CCM. The second goal was to present a revised model, the eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model (eCCM), to show how eHealth tools can be used to increase efficiency of how patients manage their own chronic illnesses. Using Theory Derivation processes, we identified a "parent theory", the Chronic Care Model, and conducted a thorough review of the literature using CINAHL, Medline, OVID, EMBASE PsychINFO, Science Direct, as well as government reports, industry reports, legislation using search terms "CCM or Chronic Care Model" AND "eHealth" or the specific identified components of eHealth. Additionally, "Chronic Illness Self-management support" AND "Technology" AND several identified eHealth tools were also used as search terms. We then used a review of the literature and specific components of the CCM to create the eCCM. We identified 260 papers at the intersection of technology, chronic disease self-management support, the CCM, and eHealth and organized a high-quality subset (n=95) using the components of CCM, self-management support, delivery system design, clinical decision support, and clinical information systems. In general, results showed that eHealth tools make important contributions to chronic care and the CCM but that the model requires modification in several key areas. Specifically, (1) eHealth education is critical for self-care, (2) eHealth support needs to be

Obstacles to Successful Implementation of eHealth Applications into Clinical Practice.

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Voogt, Marianne P; Opmeer, Brent C; Kastelein, Arnoud W; Jaspers, Monique W M; Peute, Linda W

2018-01-01

eHealth can improve healthcare worldwide, and scientific research should provide evidence on the efficacy, safety and added value of such interventions. For successful implementation of eHealth interventions into clinical practice, barriers need to be anticipated. We identified seven barriers by interviewing health professionals in the Dutch healthcare system. These barriers covered three topics: financing, human factors and organizational factors. This paper discusses their potential impact on eHealth uptake. Bridging the gap between studies to assess effective eHealth interventions and their value-based implementation in healthcare is much needed.

eHealth: Towards a Healthcare Service-Oriented Boundary-Less Infrastructure

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Cristian LELUTIU

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The current paper presents several interoperability features applied to a local distributed information system, CardioNET, meant to improve quality of healthcare services, through the use of the latest medical and IT&C technologies. Modern healthcare systems require a patient-centric vision, where patients must receive medical attention or treatment anytime, regardless of their physical location. The eHealth distributed system we present – CardioNET is based on a SOA producer-consumer model taking a patient centric approach where every hardware, software and medical activities become “services”. The system offers tools for remote interactions between patients, doctors, medical entities (e.g. hospitals, labs and authorities. Based on international standards (IDC10, LOINC, HL7, the system assures interoperability and data exchange in widely accepted XML formats. A logical domain bus, called Pervasive Health Service Bus-pHSB, exchanges HL7 compliant data messages between the integrated elements of the platform, through high level protocols (SOAP/HL7. The paper addresses interoperability problems between medical informational platforms proposing an eHealth architecture composed of: - production systems (nodes: General Practitioner, Analysis Laboratories, Clinics, Hospitals, Home Health Care Units (H-HCU;- portal with specialized web services, registries and shared data repositories – distributed, boundary-less environment for decision support, research and educational activities.

eHealth Education of Professionals in the Baltic Sea Area

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bygholm, Ann; Günther, Julia; Bertelsen, Pernille

2012-01-01

In this paper we present a study on the extent, level and content of e-Health in existing formal educational systems in Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Norway and Denmark with the objectives of identifying future educational needs within this area. The study was carried out as a desk-top study...... and took place within the context of the ICT for Health project. The results of the study on the one hand revealed a wide range of programs and courses that included e-Health, but on the other hand also showed that in the educations of health care professionals (physicians, nurses etc.) the integration...... of e-Health elements are often marginal or non-existing. Thus the study indicates that there is a need for a higher integration of e-Health in the education of health care professionals. We discuss what kind of knowledge of e-Health is needed and how it could or should be integrated in these educations...

The importance of using evidence-based e-health smoking cessation programs

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Hein De Vries

2016-03-01

Full Text Available eHealth programs have become very popular to help people to quit smoking. Yet, the efficacy of eHealth programs is dependent on the health communication theories used and applied in these programs. Computer tailored technology has shown to be an effective tool to help people to quit smoking. Programs with even one session can increase the success rates significantly. During this presentation I will discuss several computer tailored eHealth programs for smoking cessation that have been developed and tested at Maastricht University. I will discuss the theoretical grounding of these programs, their effects and the cost-effectiveness. Additionally I will also outline some potential innovations for eHealth programs, and will also share the results of a test comparing eHealth and mHealth.

General Practitioners' Perspective on eHealth and Lifestyle Change: Qualitative Interview Study.

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Brandt, Carl Joakim; Søgaard, Gabrielle Isidora; Clemensen, Jane; Sndergaard, Jens; Nielsen, Jesper Bo

2018-04-17

Wearables, fitness apps, and patient home monitoring devices are used increasingly by patients and other individuals with lifestyle challenges. All Danish general practitioners (GPs) use digital health records and electronic health (eHealth) consultations on a daily basis, but how they perceive the increasing demand for lifestyle advice and whether they see eHealth as part of their lifestyle support should be explored further. This study aimed to explore GPs' perspectives on eHealth devices and apps and the use of eHealth in supporting healthy lifestyle behavior for their patients and themselves. A total of 10 (5 female and 5 male) GPs were recruited by purposive sampling, aged 38 to 69 years (mean 51 years), of which 4 had an urban uptake of patients and 6 a rural uptake. All of them worked in the region of Southern Denmark where GPs typically work alone or in partnership with 1 to 4 colleagues and all use electronic patient health records for prescription, referral, and asynchronous electronic consultations. We performed qualitative, semistructured, individual in-depth interviews with the GPs in their own office about how they used eHealth and mHealth devices to help patients challenged with lifestyle issues and themselves. We also interviewed how they treated lifestyle-challenged patients in general and how they imagined eHealth could be used in the future. All GPs had smartphones or tablets, and everyone communicated on a daily basis with patients about disease and medicine via their electronic health record and the internet. We identified 3 themes concerning the use of eHealth: (1) how eHealth is used for patients; (2) general practitioners' own experience with improving lifestyle and eHealth support; and (3) relevant coaching techniques for transformation into eHealth. GPs used eHealth frequently for themselves but only infrequently for their patients. GPs are familiar with behavioral change techniques and are ready to use them in eHealth if they are used to

Health Literacy: Cancer Prevention Strategies for Early Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Robert A; Cosgrove, Susan C; Romney, Martha C; Plumb, James D; Brawer, Rickie O; Gonzalez, Evelyn T; Fleisher, Linda G; Moore, Bradley S

2017-09-01

Health literacy, the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand health information and services needed to make health decisions, is an essential element for early adults (aged 18-44 years) to make informed decisions about cancer. Low health literacy is one of the social determinants of health associated with cancer-related disparities. Over the past several years, a nonprofit organization, a university, and a cancer center in a major urban environment have developed and implemented health literacy programs within healthcare systems and in the community. Health system personnel received extensive health literacy training to reduce medical jargon and improve their patient education using plain language easy-to-understand written materials and teach-back, and also designed plain language written materials including visuals to provide more culturally and linguistically appropriate health education and enhance web-based information. Several sustainable health system policy changes occurred over time. At the community level, organizational assessments and peer leader training on health literacy have occurred to reduce communication barriers between consumers and providers. Some of these programs have been cancer specific, including consumer education in such areas as cervical cancer, skin cancer, and breast cancer that are targeted to early adults across the cancer spectrum from prevention to treatment to survivorship. An example of consumer-driven health education that was tested for health literacy using a comic book-style photonovel on breast cancer with an intergenerational family approach for Chinese Americans is provided. Key lessons learned from the health literacy initiatives and overall conclusions of the health literacy initiatives are also summarized. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global eHealth, Social Business and Citizen Engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Liaw, Siaw-Teng; Ashraf, Mahfuz; Ray, Pradeep

2017-01-01

The UNSW WHO Collaborating Centre (WHOCC) in eHealth was established in 2013. Its designated activities are: mHealth and evidence-based evaluation, including use case analyses. The UNSW Yunus Social Business Health Hub (YSBHH), established in 2015 to build on the Yunus Centre/Grameen Bank eHealth initiatives, added social business and community participation dimensions to the UNSW global eHealth program. The Grameen Bank is a social business built around microcredit, which are small loans to poor people to enable them to "produce something, sell something, earn something to develop self-reliance and a life of dignity". The vision revolves around global partnerships for development, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The scope includes mHealth implementation and evaluation in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), with a growing focus on social business and citizen engagement approaches. This paper summarises a critical case study of the UNSW WHOCC (eHealth) designated activities in collaboration with Bangladesh institutions (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) and Yunus Centre). Issues and challenges are highlighted.

Perceived value of eHealth among people living with multimorbidity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Runz-Jørgensen, Sidsel; Schiøtz, Michaela L.; Christensen, Ulla

2017-01-01

Background: The prevalence of multimorbidity is increasing, creating challenges for patients, healthcare professionals,and healthcare systems. Given that chronic disease management increasingly involves eHealth, it is useful to assess its perceived value among people with multimorbidity. Objective......: To explore challenges related to multimorbidity and patients’ perspectives on eHealth. Design: Ten semi-structured interviews with adults, living with multimorbidity in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interviews focused on patient-experienced challenges, from challenges related to self-management to challenges...... experienced in the healthcare sector, as well as perceptions of eHealth. During interviews, participants were presented with pictures of different eHealth technologies. Data analysis followed the systematic text condensation approach. Results: Participants experienced challenges in their daily lives,e.g. when...

The Conceptual Framework of the National eHealth Development Process

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Rasa Rotomskienė (Juciūtė

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Summary. In April 2004 the European Commission adopted the eHealth Action Plan and urged the member states of the European Union to develop national eHealth implementation strategies and corresponding action plans to support their delivery. Extensive eHealth infrastructures and systems were soon viewed as central to the future provision of safe, efficient, high quality and citizen-centred healthcare. However, the ambitious plans and high expectations were soon followed by even larger failures. Based on the findings from the two international case studies undertaken by the article’s author, the article has presented the conceptual e-health development framework, which introduces a much more complex understanding of eHealth development processes than the prevailing technocratic view towards technology-led organisational change. Considerable attention is paid to the organisational changes that have to take place along and the role that stakeholders play while implementing technology-led organisational change in healthcare contexts.Purpose—the purpose of this article is to deliver a conceptual framework for the analysis of eHealth development, which would correspond to the contemporary needs of practical eHealth development.Design/methodology/approach—the research findings presented in the article were delivered using qualitative research methodology and associated research methods such as document analysis, in-depth interviews and participant observation.Findings—the article has delivered a conceptual framework of eHealth development at the national level.Research limitations/implications—the research findings are based on two international case studies undertaken by the author in the UK. While using the results in other countries, local realities and contexts have to be taken into account.Practical implications—the article has presented empirically grounded new insights in relation to eHealth development at the national level. These

How to improve eHealth interventions in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine

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van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Kulyk, Olga Anatoliyivna; Wentzel, M.J.; Sieverink, Floor; Beerlage-de Jong, Nienke; Kelders, Saskia Marion

2014-01-01

Introduction: eHealth is gaining more and more ground in health psychology and behavioural medicine to support wellbeing, a healthier lifestyle or adherence to medications. Despite the large number of eHealth projects to date, the actual use of eHealth interventions is lower than expected. Many

Knowledge, use and attitude toward eHealth among patients with chronic lung diseases.

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Hofstede, J; de Bie, J; van Wijngaarden, B; Heijmans, M

2014-12-01

Despite high expectations and numerous initiatives in the area of eHealth, implementation and use of eHealth applications on a national level is no common practice yet. There is no full understanding of patients' attitude on eHealth yet. Aim of this study is to gain insight into the level of knowledge and experiences with eHealth of people with chronic lung diseases. A telephone survey among 400 people with a medical diagnosis of asthma or COPD was conducted. All patients participated in the larger research program National Panel of people with Chronic diseases or Disabilities (NPCD) conducted by NIVEL. Eight percent of the asthma and COPD patients knew of the term eHealth. Knowledge of specific eHealth applications (e.g. electronic medical record, electronic consultations, monitoring from a distance) was higher and ranged from 21 to 88%. Most available applications were used by less than 20% of the patients, although figures differ by age and educational level. People who have used applications were in general rather positive about their use. Non-users did not see clear advantages of using eHealth applications. A majority thought that eHealth decreases human contact in health care and will not contribute to a higher quality of care. On the contrary, almost half of the patients considered eHealth as a possibility to take more responsibility in their own care. Asthma and COPD patients were unanimous that the use of eHealth should always be a free choice. Although most asthma and COPD patient know of one or more eHealth applications, actual use remains low. Patients who do have experience with the use of eHealth are on the whole positive. However, patients without experience have no clear ideas about the advantages. They should be convinced first, and stressing the possibilities for more personal control might be an important argument to persuade them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-health internationalization requirements for audit purposes.

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Ouhbi, Sofia; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Carrillo-de-Gea, Juan Manuel; Toval, Ambrosio; Idri, Ali

2017-06-01

In the 21st century, e-health is proving to be one of the strongest drivers for the global transformation of the health care industry. Health information is currently truly ubiquitous and widespread, but in order to guarantee that everyone can appropriately access and understand this information, regardless of their origin, it is essential to bridge the international gap. The diversity of health information seekers languages and cultures signifies that e-health applications must be adapted to satisfy their needs. In order to achieve this objective, current and future e-health programs should take into account the internationalization aspects. This paper presents an internationalization requirements specification in the form of a reusable requirements catalog, obtained from the principal related standards, and describes the key methodological elements needed to perform an e-health software audit by using the internationalization knowledge previously gathered. S Health, a relevant, well-known Android application that has more than 150 million users in over 130 countries, was selected as a target for the e-health internationalization audit method and requirements specification presented above. This application example helped us to put into practice the proposal and show that the procedure is realistic and effective. The approach presented in this study is subject to continuous improvement through the incorporation of new knowledge originating from additional information sources, such as other standards or stakeholders. The application example is useful for early evaluation and serves to assess the applicability of the internationalization catalog and audit methodology, and to improve them. It would be advisable to develop of an automated tool with which to carry out the audit method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and formative evaluation of the e-Health Implementation Toolkit (e-HIT

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Mair Frances

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT or e-Health is seen as essential for a modern, cost-effective health service. However, there are well documented problems with implementation of e-Health initiatives, despite the existence of a great deal of research into how best to implement e-Health (an example of the gap between research and practice. This paper reports on the development and formative evaluation of an e-Health Implementation Toolkit (e-HIT which aims to summarise and synthesise new and existing research on implementation of e-Health initiatives, and present it to senior managers in a user-friendly format. Results The content of the e-HIT was derived by combining data from a systematic review of reviews of barriers and facilitators to implementation of e-Health initiatives with qualitative data derived from interviews of "implementers", that is people who had been charged with implementing an e-Health initiative. These data were summarised, synthesised and combined with the constructs from the Normalisation Process Model. The software for the toolkit was developed by a commercial company (RocketScience. Formative evaluation was undertaken by obtaining user feedback. There are three components to the toolkit - a section on background and instructions for use aimed at novice users; the toolkit itself; and the report generated by completing the toolkit. It is available to download from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pcph/research/ehealth/documents/e-HIT.xls Conclusions The e-HIT shows potential as a tool for enhancing future e-Health implementations. Further work is needed to make it fully web-enabled, and to determine its predictive potential for future implementations.

Why Business Modeling is Crucial in the Development of eHealth Technologies

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van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia EWC; Nijland, Nicol; Ossebaard, Hans C; Hendrix, Ron MG; Seydel, Erwin R

2011-01-01

The impact and uptake of information and communication technologies that support health care are rather low. Current frameworks for eHealth development suffer from a lack of fitting infrastructures, inability to find funding, complications with scalability, and uncertainties regarding effectiveness and sustainability. These issues can be addressed by defining a better implementation strategy early in the development of eHealth technologies. A business model, and thus business modeling, help to determine such an implementation strategy by involving all important stakeholders in a value-driven dialogue on what the technology should accomplish. This idea also seems promising to eHealth, as it can contribute to the whole development of eHealth technology. We therefore suggest that business modeling can be used as an effective approach to supporting holistic development of eHealth technologies. The contribution of business modeling is elaborated in this paper through a literature review that covers the latest business model research, concepts from the latest eHealth and persuasive technology research, evaluation and insights from our prior eHealth research, as well as the review conducted in the first paper of this series. Business modeling focuses on generating a collaborative effort of value cocreation in which all stakeholders reflect on the value needs of the others. The resulting business model acts as the basis for implementation. The development of eHealth technology should focus more on the context by emphasizing what this technology should contribute in practice to the needs of all involved stakeholders. Incorporating the idea of business modeling helps to cocreate and formulate a set of critical success factors that will influence the sustainability and effectiveness of eHealth technology. PMID:22204896

Why business modeling is crucial in the development of eHealth technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

van Limburg, Maarten; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E W C; Nijland, Nicol; Ossebaard, Hans C; Hendrix, Ron M G; Seydel, Erwin R

2011-12-28

The impact and uptake of information and communication technologies that support health care are rather low. Current frameworks for eHealth development suffer from a lack of fitting infrastructures, inability to find funding, complications with scalability, and uncertainties regarding effectiveness and sustainability. These issues can be addressed by defining a better implementation strategy early in the development of eHealth technologies. A business model, and thus business modeling, help to determine such an implementation strategy by involving all important stakeholders in a value-driven dialogue on what the technology should accomplish. This idea also seems promising to eHealth, as it can contribute to the whole development of eHealth technology. We therefore suggest that business modeling can be used as an effective approach to supporting holistic development of eHealth technologies. The contribution of business modeling is elaborated in this paper through a literature review that covers the latest business model research, concepts from the latest eHealth and persuasive technology research, evaluation and insights from our prior eHealth research, as well as the review conducted in the first paper of this series. Business modeling focuses on generating a collaborative effort of value cocreation in which all stakeholders reflect on the value needs of the others. The resulting business model acts as the basis for implementation. The development of eHealth technology should focus more on the context by emphasizing what this technology should contribute in practice to the needs of all involved stakeholders. Incorporating the idea of business modeling helps to cocreate and formulate a set of critical success factors that will influence the sustainability and effectiveness of eHealth technology.

Socio-technical and organizational challenges to wider e-Health implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitacca, M; Mazzù, M; Scalvini, S

2009-01-01

Recent advances in information communication technology allow contact with patients at home through e-Health services (telemedicine, in particular). We provide insights on the state of the art of e-Health and telemedicine for possible wider future clinical use. Telemedicine opportunities are summarized as i) home telenursing, ii) electronic transfer to specialists and hospitals, iii) teleconsulting between general practitioners and specialists and iv) call centres activities and online health. At present, a priority action of the EU is the Initiative on TM for chronic disease management as home health monitoring and the future Vision for Europe 2020 is based on development of Integrated Telemedicine Services. There are pros and cons in e-Health and telemedicine. Benefits can be classified as benefits for i) citizens, patients and caregivers and ii) health care provider organizations. Institutions and individuals that play key roles in the future of e-Health are doctors, patients and hospitals, while the whole system should be improved at three crucial levels: 1) organizational, 2) regulatory and 3) technological. Quality, access and efficiency are the general key issues for the success of e-Health and telemedicine implementation. The real technology is the human resource available into the organizations. For e-Health and telemedicine to grow, it will be necessary to investigate their long-term efficacy, cost effectiveness, possible improvement in quality of life and impact on public health burden.

A systematic review of gamification in e-Health.

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Sardi, Lamyae; Idri, Ali; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis

2017-07-01

Gamification is a relatively new trend that focuses on applying game mechanics to non-game contexts in order to engage audiences and to inject a little fun into mundane activities besides generating motivational and cognitive benefits. While many fields such as Business, Marketing and e-Learning have taken advantage of the potential of gamification, the digital healthcare domain has also started to exploit this emerging trend. This paper aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding gamified e-Health applications. A systematic literature review was therefore conducted to explore the various gamification strategies employed in e-Health and to address the benefits and the pitfalls of this emerging discipline. A total of 46 studies from multiple sources were then considered and thoroughly investigated. The results show that the majority of the papers selected reported gamification and serious gaming in health and wellness contexts related specifically to chronic disease rehabilitation, physical activity and mental health. Although gamification in e-Health has attracted a great deal of attention during the last few years, there is still a dearth of valid empirical evidence in this field. Moreover, most of the e-Health applications and serious games investigated have been proven to yield solely short-term engagement through extrinsic rewards. For gamification to reach its full potential, it is therefore necessary to build e-Health solutions on well-founded theories that exploit the core experience and psychological effects of game mechanics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

fundamental consumer rights under the consumer protection act 68

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Castle walk

(g) a collective agreement in terms of Section 213 of the Labour Relations Act. 59 ..... "Direct marketing" means to approach a person, either in person or by ..... literacy skills and minimal experience as a consumer, to understand the contents.

The influence of context and process when implementing e-health

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Heaney David

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Investing in computer-based information systems is notoriously risky, since many systems fail to become routinely used as part of everyday working practices, yet there is clear evidence about the management practices which improve the acceptance and integration of such systems. Our aim in this study was to identify to what extent these generic management practices are evident in e-health projects, and to use that knowledge to develop a theoretical model of e-health implementation. This will support the implementation of appropriate e-health systems. Methods This study consisted of qualitative semi-structured interviews with managers and health professionals in Scotland, UK. We contacted the Scottish Ethics Committee, who advised that formal application to that body was not necessary for this study. The interview guide aimed to identify the issues which respondents believed had affected the successful implementation of e-health projects. We drew on our research into information systems in other sectors to identify likely themes and questions, which we piloted and revised. Eighteen respondents with experience of e-health projects agreed to be interviewed. These were recorded, transcribed, coded, and then analysed with 'Nvivo' data analysis software. Results Respondents identified factors in the context of e-health projects which had affected implementation, including clarity of the strategy; supportive structures and cultures; effects on working processes; and how staff perceived the change. The results also identified useful implementation practices such as balancing planning with adaptability; managing participation; and using power effectively. Conclusion The interviews confirmed that the contextual factors that affect implementation of information systems in general also affect implementation of e-health projects. As expected, these take place in an evolving context of strategies, structures, cultures, working processes and

Under observation : The interplay between eHealth and surveillance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Purtova, Nadezhda; Adams, Samantha; Leenes, Ronald

2016-01-01

The essays in this book clarify the technical, legal, ethical, and social aspects of the interaction between eHealth technologies and surveillance practices. The book starts out by presenting a theoretical framework on eHealth and surveillance, followed by an introduction to the various ideas on

Halal Literacy: A Concept Exploration and Measurement Validation

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Imam Salehudin

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Muslim consumers have strict commandments which guides their consumption behavior. However, Muslim individuals may have different compliance regarding the commandments. This difference in compliance may be explained by difference in halal literacy. Halal literacy is the ability to differentiate permissible (halal and forbidden (haram goods and services which came from better understanding of Islamic laws (shariah.Thus, the purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of Halal Literacy as well as to develop and validate an instrument to measure Halal Literacy for Muslim consumers. Halal literacy was measured using two methods. One method using six items of five point Likert self evaluation scale and the other using fifteen true-false test questions with an option to choose doesn’t know. Proportion of correct and incorrect was used as weights in scoring to represent the difficulty of items. Scoring results were then analyzed with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA using Weighted Least Square method to test construct validity. Scores were then used to classify cases into high, moderate and low Literacy groups.Self evaluation halal literacy and switching Intentions are compared between groups using ANOVA to determine concurrent validity. Only ten out of fifteen items are considered valid using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. ANOVA showed that grouping of high, moderate and low literacy score can distinguish differences in perceived halal literacy and switching intentions between the groups. Post hoc tests and descriptive statistics revealed interesting non linear relationship between the halal literacy scores; self evaluated halal literacy and intentions to switch from products without halal labels.

A Holistic Framework to Improve the Uptake and Impact of eHealth Technologies

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van Limburg, Maarten; Ossebaard, Hans C; Kelders, Saskia M; Eysenbach, Gunther; Seydel, Erwin R

2011-01-01

Background Many eHealth technologies are not successful in realizing sustainable innovations in health care practices. One of the reasons for this is that the current development of eHealth technology often disregards the interdependencies between technology, human characteristics, and the socioeconomic environment, resulting in technology that has a low impact in health care practices. To overcome the hurdles with eHealth design and implementation, a new, holistic approach to the development of eHealth technologies is needed, one that takes into account the complexity of health care and the rituals and habits of patients and other stakeholders. Objective The aim of this viewpoint paper is to improve the uptake and impact of eHealth technologies by advocating a holistic approach toward their development and eventual integration in the health sector. Methods To identify the potential and limitations of current eHealth frameworks (1999–2009), we carried out a literature search in the following electronic databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Knowledge, PiCarta, and Google Scholar. Of the 60 papers that were identified, 44 were selected for full review. We excluded those papers that did not describe hands-on guidelines or quality criteria for the design, implementation, and evaluation of eHealth technologies (28 papers). From the results retrieved, we identified 16 eHealth frameworks that matched the inclusion criteria. The outcomes were used to posit strategies and principles for a holistic approach toward the development of eHealth technologies; these principles underpin our holistic eHealth framework. Results A total of 16 frameworks qualified for a final analysis, based on their theoretical backgrounds and visions on eHealth, and the strategies and conditions for the research and development of eHealth technologies. Despite their potential, the relationship between the visions on eHealth, proposed strategies, and research methods is obscure, perhaps due to a

An e-health trend plan for the Jordanian health care system: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rawabdeh, Ali Ahamd Awad

2007-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the potential of e-health by focusing explicitly on the delivery of health care products and services. The examination of e-health activity is guided by one broad research question, "What is the potential for constructing e-health strategy as an innovative health technology?". A great amount of attention has been given to e-health activity in the present day. However important this form of e-health is, this type of service simply does not face the same constraints that must be addressed by those actually delivering health care services. The researchers employed a qualitative data collection technique to formulate more examples and cases to derive lessons for Jordan. Phone interviews in a random sample were conducted with corporate officers in Jordan in order to reveal the internal organizational structure and business trends, interface issues, marketing strategies, as well as comparing and contrasting the online health world to the traditional health care realm. Internet-related projects is a top priority for health care information technology executives in the present day, with a cautious approach toward "e-health", as many products have yet to mature, and that the "click and mortar" model may perhaps be the optimal strategy for e-health in Jordan. This paper reviews the e-health trends to demonstrate the tremendous potential for health-related commercial activity on the internet. However, the researcher examining the barriers facing e-health to the Jordanian health system also pointed out almost insurmountable challenges. Despite the apparent promise of e-health, its instability is measured by its failure so far to systematically penetrate the organization of health care. Beyond the pragmatic negotiation of e-health in the immediate context of clinical practice, there are wider issues about how the development/implementation of e-health is funded, about its organization and management at the policy level; and about its

"Grand Theft South Africa": Games, Literacy and Inequality in Consumer Childhoods

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, Marion; Pallitt, Nicola

2012-01-01

Discussions of "game literacy" focus on the informal learning and literacies associated with games but seldom address the diversity in young people's gaming practices, and the highly differentiated technologies of digital gaming in use. We use available survey data to show how, in South Africa, income inequalities influence consumption…

An eHealth Capabilities Framework for Graduates and Health Professionals: Mixed-Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

McGregor, Deborah; Keep, Melanie; Janssen, Anna; Spallek, Heiko; Quinn, Deleana; Jones, Aaron; Tseris, Emma; Yeung, Wilson; Togher, Leanne; Solman, Annette; Shaw, Tim

2018-01-01

Background The demand for an eHealth-ready and adaptable workforce is placing increasing pressure on universities to deliver eHealth education. At present, eHealth education is largely focused on components of eHealth rather than considering a curriculum-wide approach. Objective This study aimed to develop a framework that could be used to guide health curriculum design based on current evidence, and stakeholder perceptions of eHealth capabilities expected of tertiary health graduates. Methods A 3-phase, mixed-methods approach incorporated the results of a literature review, focus groups, and a Delphi process to develop a framework of eHealth capability statements. Results Participants (N=39) with expertise or experience in eHealth education, practice, or policy provided feedback on the proposed framework, and following the fourth iteration of this process, consensus was achieved. The final framework consisted of 4 higher-level capability statements that describe the learning outcomes expected of university graduates across the domains of (1) digital health technologies, systems, and policies; (2) clinical practice; (3) data analysis and knowledge creation; and (4) technology implementation and codesign. Across the capability statements are 40 performance cues that provide examples of how these capabilities might be demonstrated. Conclusions The results of this study inform a cross-faculty eHealth curriculum that aligns with workforce expectations. There is a need for educational curriculum to reinforce existing eHealth capabilities, adapt existing capabilities to make them transferable to novel eHealth contexts, and introduce new learning opportunities for interactions with technologies within education and practice encounters. As such, the capability framework developed may assist in the application of eHealth by emerging and existing health care professionals. Future research needs to explore the potential for integration of findings into workforce development

E-health: Determinants, opportunities, challenges and the way forward for countries in the WHO African Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gatwiri Doris

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The implementation of the 58th World Health Assembly resolution on e-health will pose a major challenge for the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO African Region due to lack of information and communications technology (ICT and mass Internet connectivity, compounded by a paucity of ICT-related knowledge and skills. The key objectives of this article are to: (i explore the key determinants of personal computers (PCs, telephone mainline and cellular and Internet penetration/connectivity in the African Region; and (ii to propose actions needed to create an enabling environment for e-health services growth and utilization in the Region. Methods The effects of school enrolment, per capita income and governance variables on the number of PCs, telephone mainlines, cellular phone subscribers and Internet users were estimated using a double-log regression model and cross-sectional data on various Member States in the African Region. The analysis was based on 45 of the 46 countries that comprise the Region. The data were obtained from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, the World Bank and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU sources. Results There were a number of main findings: (i the adult literacy and total number of Internet users had a statistically significant (at 5% level in a t-distribution test positive effect on the number of PCs in a country; (ii the combined school enrolment rate and per capita income had a statistically significant direct effect on the number of telephone mainlines and cellular telephone subscribers; (iii the regulatory quality had statistically significant negative effect on the number of telephone mainlines; (iv similarly, the combined school enrolment ratio and the number of telephone mainlines had a statistically significant positive relationship with Internet usage; and (v there were major inequalities in ICT connectivity between upper-middle, lower-middle and

Scope of Policy Issues in eHealth: Results From a Structured Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Durrani, Hammad; Nayani, Parvez; Fahim, Ammad

2012-01-01

Background eHealth is widely used as a tool for improving health care delivery and information. However, distinct policies and strategies are required for its proper implementation and integration at national and international levels. Objective To determine the scope of policy issues faced by individuals, institutions, or governments in implementing eHealth programs. Methods We conducted a structured review of both peer-reviewed and gray literature from 1998–2008. A Medline search for peer-reviewed articles found 40 papers focusing on different aspects of eHealth policy. In addition, a Google search found 20 national- and international-level policy papers and documents. We reviewed these articles to extract policy issues and solutions described at different levels of care. Results The literature search found 99 policy issues related to eHealth. We grouped these issues under the following themes: (1) networked care, (2) interjurisdictional practice, (3) diffusion of eHealth/digital divide, (4) eHealth integration with existing systems, (5) response to new initiatives, (6) goal-setting for eHealth policy, (7) evaluation and research, (8) investment, and (9) ethics in eHealth. Conclusions We provide a list of policy issues that should be understood and addressed by policy makers at global, jurisdictional, and institutional levels, to facilitate smooth and reliable planning of eHealth programs. PMID:22343270

Design and Implementation of e-Health System Based on Semantic Sensor Network Using IETF YANG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenquan Jin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Recently, healthcare services can be delivered effectively to patients anytime and anywhere using e-Health systems. e-Health systems are developed through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT that involve sensors, mobiles, and web-based applications for the delivery of healthcare services and information. Remote healthcare is an important purpose of the e-Health system. Usually, the eHealth system includes heterogeneous sensors from diverse manufacturers producing data in different formats. Device interoperability and data normalization is a challenging task that needs research attention. Several solutions are proposed in the literature based on manual interpretation through explicit programming. However, programmatically implementing the interpretation of the data sender and data receiver in the e-Health system for the data transmission is counterproductive as modification will be required for each new device added into the system. In this paper, an e-Health system with the Semantic Sensor Network (SSN is proposed to address the device interoperability issue. In the proposed system, we have used IETF YANG for modeling the semantic e-Health data to represent the information of e-Health sensors. This modeling scheme helps in provisioning semantic interoperability between devices and expressing the sensing data in a user-friendly manner. For this purpose, we have developed an ontology for e-Health data that supports different styles of data formats. The ontology is defined in YANG for provisioning semantic interpretation of sensing data in the system by constructing meta-models of e-Health sensors. The proposed approach assists in the auto-configuration of eHealth sensors and querying the sensor network with semantic interoperability support for the e-Health system.

A Service Design Thinking Approach for Stakeholder-Centred eHealth.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Eunji

2016-01-01

Studies have described the opportunities and challenges of applying service design techniques to health services, but empirical evidence on how such techniques can be implemented in the context of eHealth services is still lacking. This paper presents how a service design thinking approach can be applied for specification of an existing and new eHealth service by supporting evaluation of the current service and facilitating suggestions for the future service. We propose Service Journey Modelling Language and Service Journey Cards to engage stakeholders in the design of eHealth services.

eHealth for inflammatory bowel disease self-management - the patient perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Con, Danny; Jackson, Belinda; Gray, Kathleen; De Cruz, Peter

2017-09-01

Electronic health (eHealth) solutions may help address the growing pressure on IBD outpatient services as they encompass a component of self-management. However, information regarding patients' attitudes towards the use of eHealth solutions in IBD is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate eHealth technology use and explore the perspectives of IBD patients on what constitutes the ideal eHealth solution to facilitate self-management. A mixed methods qualitative and quantitative analysis of the outcomes of a discussion forum and an online survey conducted at a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia between November 2015 and January 2016 was undertaken. Eighteen IBD patients and parents participated in the discussion forum. IBD patients expressed interest in eHealth tools that are convenient and improve access to care, communication, disease monitoring and adherence. Eighty six patients with IBD responded to the online survey. A majority of patients owned a mobile phone (98.8%), had access to the internet (97.7%), and felt confident entering data onto a phone or computer (73.3%). Most patients (98.8%) were willing to use at least one form of information and communication technology to help manage their IBD. Smartphone apps and internet websites were the two most preferred technologies to facilitate IBD self-management. This study demonstrates the willifngness of patients to engage with eHealth as a potential solution to facilitate IBD self-management. Future development and testing of eHealth solutions should be informed by all major stakeholders including patients to maximise their uptake and efficacy to facilitate IBD self-management.

CLOUD-POWERED e-HEALTH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liviu Cristian STEFAN

2013-09-01

Full Text Available During the last years, the global economic crisis has affected all domains, including the health sector. Many governments have considered that the solution to this problem is to reduce public expenses on healthcare, to decrease the budgets for health services, to rationalize the medical plans for the population, to increase the share of health expenditure paid by patients and to select the products on the pharmaceutical market.In order to improve the medical service whilst maintaining reduced infrastructure costs, the new digital technologies offer the solution of cloud-based services for the e-health systems.In this paper we present the cloud-hosted healthcare applications concept, the advantages of using e-Health on distributed platforms and some considerations about the security levels. Also, we further present an experiment based on the free OpenEMR solution, which has also a cloud version, ZH-Services OpenEMR.

Implementation of a consumer-focused eHealth intervention for people with moderate-to-high cardiovascular disease risk: protocol for a mixed-methods process evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Coorey, Genevieve M; Neubeck, Lis; Usherwood, Timothy; Peiris, David; Parker, Sharon; Lau, Annie Y S; Chow, Clara; Panaretto, Kathryn; Harris, Mark; Zwar, Nicholas; Redfern, Julie

2017-01-11

Technology-mediated strategies have potential to engage patients in modifying unhealthy behaviour and improving medication adherence to reduce morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, electronic tools offer a medium by which consumers can more actively navigate personal healthcare information. Understanding how, why and among whom such strategies have an effect can help determine the requirements for implementing them at a scale. This paper aims to detail a process evaluation that will (1) assess implementation fidelity of a multicomponent eHealth intervention; (2) determine its effective features; (3) explore contextual factors influencing and maintaining user engagement; and (4) describe barriers, facilitators, preferences and acceptability of such interventions. Mixed-methods sequential design to derive, examine, triangulate and report data from multiple sources. Quantitative data from 3 sources will help to inform both sampling and content framework for the qualitative data collection: (1) surveys of patients and general practitioners (GPs); (2) software analytics; (3) programme delivery records. Qualitative data from interviews with patients and GPs, focus groups with patients and field notes taken by intervention delivery staff will be thematically analysed. Concurrent interview data collection and analysis will enable a thematic framework to evolve inductively and inform theory building, consistent with a realistic evaluation perspective. Eligible patients are those at moderate-to-high CVD risk who were randomised to the intervention arm of a randomised controlled trial of an eHealth intervention and are contactable at completion of the follow-up period; eligible GPs are the primary healthcare providers of these patients. Ethics approval has been received from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) of New South Wales. Results will be disseminated

How can eHealth enhance adherence to cancer therapy and supportive care?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bateman Emma H.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available eHealth is currently a hot topic, but is certainly not a new one. The use of communications technology to relay health-related information or provide medical services has been around since the advent of this technology. It has been primarily over the last decade that eHealth has seen a global expansion, due to the far-reaching capabilities of the Internet and the widespread use of wireless technology. This paper will outline what eHealth is, what adherence is, and how eHealth can help with adherence, in cancer and supportive care particularly. It will discuss the current state of the art, and project into the future.

Large Scale eHealth Deployment in Europe: Insights from Concurrent Use of Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Eichelberg, Marco; Chronaki, Catherine

2016-01-01

Large-scale eHealth deployment projects face a major challenge when called to select the right set of standards and tools to achieve sustainable interoperability in an ecosystem including both legacy systems and new systems reflecting technological trends and progress. There is not a single standard that would cover all needs of an eHealth project, and there is a multitude of overlapping and perhaps competing standards that can be employed to define document formats, terminology, communication protocols mirroring alternative technical approaches and schools of thought. eHealth projects need to respond to the important question of how alternative or inconsistently implemented standards and specifications can be used to ensure practical interoperability and long-term sustainability in large scale eHealth deployment. In the eStandards project, 19 European case studies reporting from R&D and large-scale eHealth deployment and policy projects were analyzed. Although this study is not exhaustive, reflecting on the concepts, standards, and tools for concurrent use and the successes, failures, and lessons learned, this paper offers practical insights on how eHealth deployment projects can make the most of the available eHealth standards and tools and how standards and profile developing organizations can serve the users embracing sustainability and technical innovation.

An eHealth Capabilities Framework for Graduates and Health Professionals: Mixed-Methods Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner, Melissa; McGregor, Deborah; Keep, Melanie; Janssen, Anna; Spallek, Heiko; Quinn, Deleana; Jones, Aaron; Tseris, Emma; Yeung, Wilson; Togher, Leanne; Solman, Annette; Shaw, Tim

2018-05-15

The demand for an eHealth-ready and adaptable workforce is placing increasing pressure on universities to deliver eHealth education. At present, eHealth education is largely focused on components of eHealth rather than considering a curriculum-wide approach. This study aimed to develop a framework that could be used to guide health curriculum design based on current evidence, and stakeholder perceptions of eHealth capabilities expected of tertiary health graduates. A 3-phase, mixed-methods approach incorporated the results of a literature review, focus groups, and a Delphi process to develop a framework of eHealth capability statements. Participants (N=39) with expertise or experience in eHealth education, practice, or policy provided feedback on the proposed framework, and following the fourth iteration of this process, consensus was achieved. The final framework consisted of 4 higher-level capability statements that describe the learning outcomes expected of university graduates across the domains of (1) digital health technologies, systems, and policies; (2) clinical practice; (3) data analysis and knowledge creation; and (4) technology implementation and codesign. Across the capability statements are 40 performance cues that provide examples of how these capabilities might be demonstrated. The results of this study inform a cross-faculty eHealth curriculum that aligns with workforce expectations. There is a need for educational curriculum to reinforce existing eHealth capabilities, adapt existing capabilities to make them transferable to novel eHealth contexts, and introduce new learning opportunities for interactions with technologies within education and practice encounters. As such, the capability framework developed may assist in the application of eHealth by emerging and existing health care professionals. Future research needs to explore the potential for integration of findings into workforce development programs. ©Melissa Brunner, Deborah Mc

Using eHealth to Increase Autonomy Supportive Care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johnsen, Helle; Blom, Karina Fischer; Lee, Anne

2018-01-01

eHealth solutions are increasingly implemented in antenatal care to enhance women's involvement. The main aim of this study was to evaluate women's assessment of autonomy supportive care during the antenatal care visits among low-risk pregnant women. An intervention study was conducted including...... a control group attending standard antenatal care and an intervention group having access to an eHealth knowledge base, in addition to standard care. A total of 87 women were included in the control group and a total of 121 women in the intervention group. Data were collected using an online questionnaire 2...... weeks after participants had given birth. Data were analyzed using χ tests and Wilcoxon rank sums. Use of an eHealth knowledge base was associated with statistically significant higher scores for women's overall assessment of antenatal care visits, the organization of antenatal care visits, confidence...

eHealth Technologies as an Intervention to Improve Adherence to Topical Antipsoriatics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Andersen, Flemming; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Topical antipsoriatics are recommended first-line treatment of psoriasis, but rates of adherence are low. Patient support by use of electronic health (eHealth) services is suggested to improve medical adherence. OBJECTIVE: To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing eHealth...... interventions designed to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics and to review applications for smartphones (apps) incorporating the word psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature review: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched using search terms for eHealth, psoriasis....... CONCLUSION: There is a critical need for high-quality RCTs testing if the ubiquitous eHealth technologies, e.g. some of the numerous apps, can improve psoriasis patients' rates of adherence to topical antipsoriatics....

The e-health implementation toolkit: qualitative evaluation across four European countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MacFarlane Anne

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Implementation researchers have attempted to overcome the research-practice gap in e-health by developing tools that summarize and synthesize research evidence of factors that impede or facilitate implementation of innovation in healthcare settings. The e-Health Implementation Toolkit (e-HIT is an example of such a tool that was designed within the context of the United Kingdom National Health Service to promote implementation of e-health services. Its utility in international settings is unknown. Methods We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the e-HIT in use across four countries--Finland, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden. Data were generated using a combination of interview approaches (n = 22 to document e-HIT users' experiences of the tool to guide decision making about the selection of e-health pilot services and to monitor their progress over time. Results e-HIT users evaluated the tool positively in terms of its scope to organize and enhance their critical thinking about their implementation work and, importantly, to facilitate discussion between those involved in that work. It was easy to use in either its paper- or web-based format, and its visual elements were positively received. There were some minor criticisms of the e-HIT with some suggestions for content changes and comments about its design as a generic tool (rather than specific to sites and e-health services. However, overall, e-HIT users considered it to be a highly workable tool that they found useful, which they would use again, and which they would recommend to other e-health implementers. Conclusion The use of the e-HIT is feasible and acceptable in a range of international contexts by a range of professionals for a range of different e-health systems.

The e-Health Implementation Toolkit: qualitative evaluation across four European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

MacFarlane, Anne; Clerkin, Pauline; Murray, Elizabeth; Heaney, David J; Wakeling, Mary; Pesola, Ulla-Maija; Waterworth, Eva Lindh; Larsen, Frank; Makiniemi, Minna; Winblad, Ilkka

2011-11-19

Implementation researchers have attempted to overcome the research-practice gap in e-health by developing tools that summarize and synthesize research evidence of factors that impede or facilitate implementation of innovation in healthcare settings. The e-Health Implementation Toolkit (e-HIT) is an example of such a tool that was designed within the context of the United Kingdom National Health Service to promote implementation of e-health services. Its utility in international settings is unknown. We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the e-HIT in use across four countries--Finland, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden. Data were generated using a combination of interview approaches (n = 22) to document e-HIT users' experiences of the tool to guide decision making about the selection of e-health pilot services and to monitor their progress over time. e-HIT users evaluated the tool positively in terms of its scope to organize and enhance their critical thinking about their implementation work and, importantly, to facilitate discussion between those involved in that work. It was easy to use in either its paper- or web-based format, and its visual elements were positively received. There were some minor criticisms of the e-HIT with some suggestions for content changes and comments about its design as a generic tool (rather than specific to sites and e-health services). However, overall, e-HIT users considered it to be a highly workable tool that they found useful, which they would use again, and which they would recommend to other e-health implementers. The use of the e-HIT is feasible and acceptable in a range of international contexts by a range of professionals for a range of different e-health systems.

The e-Health Implementation Toolkit: Qualitative evaluation across four European countries

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

MacFarlane, Anne

2011-11-19

Abstract Background Implementation researchers have attempted to overcome the research-practice gap in e-health by developing tools that summarize and synthesize research evidence of factors that impede or facilitate implementation of innovation in healthcare settings. The e-Health Implementation Toolkit (e-HIT) is an example of such a tool that was designed within the context of the United Kingdom National Health Service to promote implementation of e-health services. Its utility in international settings is unknown. Methods We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the e-HIT in use across four countries--Finland, Norway, Scotland, and Sweden. Data were generated using a combination of interview approaches (n = 22) to document e-HIT users\\' experiences of the tool to guide decision making about the selection of e-health pilot services and to monitor their progress over time. Results e-HIT users evaluated the tool positively in terms of its scope to organize and enhance their critical thinking about their implementation work and, importantly, to facilitate discussion between those involved in that work. It was easy to use in either its paper- or web-based format, and its visual elements were positively received. There were some minor criticisms of the e-HIT with some suggestions for content changes and comments about its design as a generic tool (rather than specific to sites and e-health services). However, overall, e-HIT users considered it to be a highly workable tool that they found useful, which they would use again, and which they would recommend to other e-health implementers. Conclusion The use of the e-HIT is feasible and acceptable in a range of international contexts by a range of professionals for a range of different e-health systems.

Initiatives in the Romanian eHealth Landscape

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Andrei SITAR TAUT

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Even if the foundation in the field of eHealth was set almost half century ago, the current achievements’ status does not place Romania on a good position in a European ranking. The efforts made during the last years are promising, but they still cannot surpass the enormous gaps in many eHealth indicators. This is not a surprising fact because the eHealth level must be sustained by a healthy and stable sanitary system and infrastructure, which, in our country, is almost in collapse, especially now in the context of global economic and financial crisis. We consider being guilty for these circumstances the lack of a clear and solid mid-term strategy developed at the level of the Ministry of Health (MoH, harmonized in a global legal and regulatory framework as well, and also the non-correlated researcher groups interests. The good attitude of practitioners regarding the challenges of new technologies and the political will can still give a chance to the Romanian healthcare system and to its modern faces.

Balancing Responsibilities – Financial Literacy

OpenAIRE

Gail Pearson; Philip N Stoop; Michelle Kelly-Louw

2017-01-01

In Australia there is an obligation to promote the informed participation of financial consumers while in South Africa there is an obligation to educate consumers. The Australian obligation is concerned with the financial system as a whole while the South African obligation has generally been focused on general financial education as a tool to promote financial inclusion. There is no obligation for consumers to attain a minimum standard of literacy in credit or finance generally. Financial li...

An ontology for regulating eHealth interoperability in developing African countries

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Moodley, D

2013-08-01

Full Text Available eHealth governance and regulation are necessary in low resource African countries to ensure effective and equitable use of health information technology and to realize national eHealth goals such as interoperability, adoption of standards and data...

Are There Just Barriers? Institutional Perspective On the Development of E-Health in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kautsch Marcin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Development of e-health in Poland has suffered from multiple setbacks and delays. This paper presents views on and experiences with implementation of e-health solutions of three groups of respondents: buyers, suppliers and external experts with the aim of establishing to what extent and in what way e-health development was taking place in Polish public health care and if there were any national policy targets or European targets influencing this development. It is based on desktop studies and interviews conducted in Poland in the spring and summer of 2015. The interviews largely confirmed findings from the desktop study: legal obstacles were the decisive factor hindering the development of e-health, especially telemedicine, with extensive insufficiency of basic IT infrastructure closely following. Stakeholders were deterred from engaging with telemedicine, and from procuring e-health using non-standard procedures, from fear of legal liability. Some doctor’s resistance to e-health was also noted. There are reasons for optimism. Amendment to the Act on the System of Information in Health Care removed most legal obstacles to e-health. The Polish national payer (NFZ has started introducing reimbursement for remote services, though it is still too early see results of these changes. Some doctors′ reluctance to telemedicine may change due to demographic changes in this professional group, younger generations may regard ICT-based solutions as a norm. In the same time, poor development of basic IT infrastructure in Polish hospitals is likely to persist, unless a national programme of e-health development is implemented (with funds secured and contracting e-health services by NFZ is introduced on a larger scale.

E-health readiness assessment framework in iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

2012-01-01

Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well.

E-Health Readiness Assessment Framework in Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

2012-01-01

Background: Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. Methods: The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. Results: The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). Conclusion: The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well. PMID:23304661

Personas: The Linking Pin in Holistic Design for eHealth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Velsen, Lex Stefan; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Nijland, N.; Beaujean, Desirée; van Steenbergen, Jim

2012-01-01

Personas, lively descriptions of distinctive user groups for a technology, have the potential to be a useful tool for designing useful and usable eHealth services. In this paper we discuss the role of personas in a holistic design approach for eHealth: the CeHRes roadmap. We show, using the case of

eHealth in Wound Care,- overview and key issues to consider before implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, Zena; Angel, Donna; Bjerregaard, Julie

2015-01-01

Purpose This document aims to provide wound care clinicians with a rapid and structured overview of the key issues related to use of eHealth applications (telemedicine and telehealth) within wound care. This includes: • An overview of terminology and available literature • Guidance on the methodo......Purpose This document aims to provide wound care clinicians with a rapid and structured overview of the key issues related to use of eHealth applications (telemedicine and telehealth) within wound care. This includes: • An overview of terminology and available literature • Guidance...... on the methodology for evaluation of eHealth solutions • An introduction to and discussion of the potential benefits of eHealth technologies in wound care, and the possible barriers to their implementation • Recommendations for ensuring a good implementation process and supporting involvement of wound care...... professionals in safeguarding that eHealth solutions meet the needs of the patients. Methodology The document sections lean on the structure and focus areas of the Model for ASsessment of Telemedicine (MAST) which defines crucial items to evaluate an eHealth application. The content of the document is developed...

eHealth adoption factors in medical hospitals: A focus on the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, Sander; van Geenhuizen, Marina; de Reuver, Mark

2017-04-01

Despite strong policy interest in eHealth, actual adoption in many European hospitals is low. This study develops and tests in a preliminary way an organisational eHealth adoption model rooted in several adoption frameworks to improve understanding of this phenomenon. The model is explored through a survey among hospitals in the Netherlands using a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach. Specific attention is paid to measurement of organisational readiness and to adoption as a process including different stages. Our results suggest a sharp decrease in the adoption process by hospitals after the stage of interest/commitment. Adoption tends to be significantly affected by size of the hospital, organisational readiness including technical aspects, and top management support. eHealth adoption tends to be not a linear process nor a linear function of contextual antecedents. Organisational readiness is an important antecedent for eHealth adoption. The paper concludes with organisational strategies and policies to foster eHealth adoption in hospitals and suggestions for future study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Family Health and Financial Literacy--Forging the Connection

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Bonnie; Kim, Jinhee; Anderson, Elaine A.

2009-01-01

Families are at-risk of or experiencing a diminished quality of living and life in current economic times and difficult decisions are required. Health and financial literacy are the basis for wise personal and public decision making. Family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals can forge connections between health and financial literacy to…

A Strategic Study about Quality Characteristics in e-Health Systems Based on a Systematic Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez-Mayo, F J; Escalona, M J; Mejías, M; Aragón, G; García-García, J A; Torres, J; Enríquez, J G

2015-01-01

e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people's health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems.

A Strategic Study about Quality Characteristics in e-Health Systems Based on a Systematic Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. J. Domínguez-Mayo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people’s health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems.

Financial Literacy, Financial Education and Economic Outcomes. NBER Working Paper No. 18412

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Justine S.; Madrian, Brigitte C.; Skimmyhorn, William L.

2012-01-01

In this article we review the literature on financial literacy, financial education, and consumer financial outcomes. We consider how financial literacy is measured in the current literature, and examine how well the existing literature addresses whether financial education improves financial literacy or personal financial outcomes. We discuss the…

Psychometric Properties of Patient-Facing eHealth Evaluation Measures: Systematic Review and Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakefield, Bonnie J; Turvey, Carolyn L; Nazi, Kim M; Holman, John E; Hogan, Timothy P; Shimada, Stephanie L; Kennedy, Diana R

2017-10-11

Significant resources are being invested into eHealth technology to improve health care. Few resources have focused on evaluating the impact of use on patient outcomes A standardized set of metrics used across health systems and research will enable aggregation of data to inform improved implementation, clinical practice, and ultimately health outcomes associated with use of patient-facing eHealth technologies. The objective of this project was to conduct a systematic review to (1) identify existing instruments for eHealth research and implementation evaluation from the patient's point of view, (2) characterize measurement components, and (3) assess psychometrics. Concepts from existing models and published studies of technology use and adoption were identified and used to inform a search strategy. Search terms were broadly categorized as platforms (eg, email), measurement (eg, survey), function/information use (eg, self-management), health care occupations (eg, nurse), and eHealth/telemedicine (eg, mHealth). A computerized database search was conducted through June 2014. Included articles (1) described development of an instrument, or (2) used an instrument that could be traced back to its original publication, or (3) modified an instrument, and (4) with full text in English language, and (5) focused on the patient perspective on technology, including patient preferences and satisfaction, engagement with technology, usability, competency and fluency with technology, computer literacy, and trust in and acceptance of technology. The review was limited to instruments that reported at least one psychometric property. Excluded were investigator-developed measures, disease-specific assessments delivered via technology or telephone (eg, a cancer-coping measure delivered via computer survey), and measures focused primarily on clinician use (eg, the electronic health record). The search strategy yielded 47,320 articles. Following elimination of duplicates and non

E-health applications and services for patient empowerment: Directions for best practices in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alpay, L.L.; Henkemans, O.B.; Otten, W.; Rövekamp, T.A.J.M.; Dumay, A.C.M.

2010-01-01

Objective: E-health may enable the empowerment process for patients, particularly the chronically ill. However, e-health is not always designed with the requirements of patient empowerment in mind. Drawing on evidence-based e-health studies, we propose directions for best practices to develop

E-health Applications and Services for Patient Empowerment : Directions for Best Practices in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alpay, L.L.; Blanson Henkemans, O.; Otten, W.; Rövekamp, T.A.J.M.; Dumay, A.C.M.

2010-01-01

Objective: E-health may enable the empowerment process for patients, particularly the chronically ill. However, e-health is not always designed with the requirements of patient empowerment in mind. Drawing on evidence-based e-health studies, we propose directions for best practices to develop

Critical analysis of e-health readiness assessment frameworks: suitability for application in developing countries.

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Mauco, Kabelo Leonard; Scott, Richard E; Mars, Maurice

2018-02-01

Introduction e-Health is an innovative way to make health services more effective and efficient and application is increasing worldwide. e-Health represents a substantial ICT investment and its failure usually results in substantial losses in time, money (including opportunity costs) and effort. Therefore it is important to assess e-health readiness prior to implementation. Several frameworks have been published on e-health readiness assessment, under various circumstances and geographical regions of the world. However, their utility for the developing world is unknown. Methods A literature review and analysis of published e-health readiness assessment frameworks or models was performed to determine if any are appropriate for broad assessment of e-health readiness in the developing world. A total of 13 papers described e-health readiness in different settings. Results and Discussion Eight types of e-health readiness were identified and no paper directly addressed all of these. The frameworks were based upon varying assumptions and perspectives. There was no underlying unifying theory underpinning the frameworks. Few assessed government and societal readiness, and none cultural readiness; all are important in the developing world. While the shortcomings of existing frameworks have been highlighted, most contain aspects that are relevant and can be drawn on when developing a framework and assessment tools for the developing world. What emerged is the need to develop different assessment tools for the various stakeholder sectors. This is an area that needs further research before attempting to develop a more generic framework for the developing world.

What happens when seniors participate in new eHealth schemes?

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Frennert, Susanne; Östlund, Britt

2016-10-01

This article adds empirical depth to our understanding of seniors' involvement in the making of eHealth systems. Multi-sited interviews and observations were conducted at seniors' homes before an eHealth system was installed, during the home trials and post-removal of the system. Our findings indicate that although the senior participants chose to participate in the home trials, the choice itself was configured by the stigmatization of seniors as technophobes, fear of "falling behind" and the association of technology with youth, the future and being up-to-date. Being a participant in home trials of an eHealth system became an identity of its own, representing a forward thinking and contemporary person who embraced changes and new technology. Implications for Rehabilitation This article highlights the importance of understanding the participants' drive to participate in field trials and the impact this motivation has on how, during field trials, they perceive using an eHealth system and its perceived usefulness. When studying eHealth systems "in the making at senior" participants' homes, the seniors become part of the research team. The senior participants' learning and knowledge transfer evolves from the dialogue with the research team. For equal participation and power there is a need for ethical, mutual and equal power-relations in the research team (between researchers from different paradigms such as engineers and sociologists) as well as between the researchers' and the participants'.

Experience of nurses with using eHealth in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: a qualitative study in primary and secondary healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulzar, Saleema; Khoja, Shariq; Sajwani, Afroz

2013-03-02

To improve the quality of health care in remote parts of Pakistan, a research project was initiated in the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan using information and communication technology to improve patient care and support continuing education of health providers (eHealth). This paper describes the experience of nurses in using eHealth in their routine practices. All health centres of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan using eHealth as part of this study, were taken as a single case. These include four primary healthcare centres, three secondary care centres and one medical centre. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guide to study nurses' perspective about using eHealth, and its perceived impact on their professional lives. According to the respondents, eHealth enhanced access to care for remote communities, and improved quality of health services by providing opportunities for continuing learning. Nurses also appreciated eHealth for reducing their professional isolation, and providing exposure to new knowledge through teleconsultations and eLearning.The responses categorized under six major headings include: gaps in health services prior to eHealth; role of eHealth in addressing these gaps; benefits of eHealth; challenges in eHealth implementation; community's perception about eHealth; and future recommendations. Low-cost and simple eHealth solutions have shown to benefit nurses, and the communities in the remote mountainous regions of Pakistan.

Interoperable eHealth Platform for Personalized Smart Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihaylov, Mihail Rumenov; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Kyriazakos, Sofoklis

2015-01-01

personalized context-aware applications to serve the user's needs. This paper proposes the use of advised sensing, context-aware and cloud-based lifestyle reasoning to design an innovative eHealth platform that supports highly personalized smart services to primary users. The architecture of the platform has...... been designed in accordance with the interoperability requirements and standards as proposed by ITU-T and Continua Alliance. In particular, we define the interface dependencies and functional requirements needed, to allow eCare and eHealth vendors to manufacture interoperable sensors, ambient and home...

Assessing the Coverage of E-Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Systematic Review and Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeloye, Davies; Adigun, Taiwo; Misra, Sanjay; Omoregbe, Nicholas

2017-05-18

E-Health has attracted growing interests globally. The relative lack of facilities, skills, funds and information on existing e-Health initiatives has affected progress on e-Health in Africa. To review publicly available literature on e-Health in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) towards providing information on existing and ongoing e-Health initiatives in the region. Searches of relevant literature were conducted on Medline, EMBASE and Global Health, with search dates set from 1990 to 2016. We included studies on e-Health initiatives (prototypes, designs, or completed projects) targeting population groups in sSA. Our search returned 2322 hits, with 26 studies retained. Included studies were conducted in 14 countries across the four sub-regions in sSA (Central, East, South and West) and spreading over a 12-year period, 2002-2014. Six types of e-Health interventions were reported, with 17 studies (65 %) based on telemedicine, followed by mHealth with 5 studies (19 %). Other e-Health types include expert system, electronic medical records, e-mails, and online health module. Specific medical specialties covered include dermatology (19 %), pathology (12 %) and radiology (8 %). Successes were 'widely reported' (representing 50 % overall acceptance or positive feedbacks in a study) in 10 studies (38 %). The prominent challenges reported were technical problems, poor internet and connectivity, participants' selection biases, contextual issues, and lack of funds. E-Health is evolving in sSA, but with poorly published evidence. While we call for more quality research in the region, it is also important that population-wide policies and on-going e-Health initiatives are contextually feasible, acceptable, and sustainable.

Drivers for successful long-term lifestyle change, the role of e-health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Carl Joakim; Clemensen, Jane; Nielsen, Jesper Bo

2018-01-01

Objectives Assisting patients in lifestyle change using collaborative e-health tools can be an efficient treatment for non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive lung disease that are caused or aggravated by unhealthy living in the form of unhealthy diet......, physical inactivity or tobacco smoking. In a prospective pilot study, we tested an online collaborative e-health tool in general practice. The aim of this study was to identify drivers of importance for long-term personal lifestyle changes from a patient perspective when using a collaborative e-health tool......, including the support of peers and healthcare professionals. Setting General practice clinics in the Region of Southern Denmark. Participants 10 overweight patients who had previously successfully used a hybrid online collaborative e-health tool with both face-to-face and online consultations to lose weight...

Lessons Learned From a Living Lab on the Broad Adoption of eHealth in Primary Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Huygens, Martine Wilhelmina Johanna; Schoenmakers, Tim M; Oude Nijeweme-D'Hollosy, Wendy; van Velsen, Lex; Vermeulen, Joan; Schoone-Harmsen, Marian; Jansen, Yvonne JFM; van Schayck, Onno CP; Friele, Roland; de Witte, Luc

2018-01-01

Background Electronic health (eHealth) solutions are considered to relieve current and future pressure on the sustainability of primary health care systems. However, evidence of the effectiveness of eHealth in daily practice is missing. Furthermore, eHealth solutions are often not implemented structurally after a pilot phase, even if successful during this phase. Although many studies on barriers and facilitators were published in recent years, eHealth implementation still progresses only slowly. To further unravel the slow implementation process in primary health care and accelerate the implementation of eHealth, a 3-year Living Lab project was set up. In the Living Lab, called eLabEL, patients, health care professionals, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and research institutes collaborated to select and integrate fully mature eHealth technologies for implementation in primary health care. Seven primary health care centers, 10 SMEs, and 4 research institutes participated. Objective This viewpoint paper aims to show the process of adoption of eHealth in primary care from the perspective of different stakeholders in a qualitative way. We provide a real-world view on how such a process occurs, including successes and failures related to the different perspectives. Methods Reflective and process-based notes from all meetings of the project partners, interview data, and data of focus groups were analyzed systematically using four theoretical models to study the adoption of eHealth in primary care. Results The results showed that large-scale implementation of eHealth depends on the efforts of and interaction and collaboration among 4 groups of stakeholders: patients, health care professionals, SMEs, and those responsible for health care policy (health care insurers and policy makers). These stakeholders are all acting within their own contexts and with their own values and expectations. We experienced that patients reported expected benefits regarding the use

Utilization and efficacy of internet-based eHealth technology in gastroenterology: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowles, Simon R; Mikocka-Walus, Antonina

2014-04-01

While there have been several reviews exploring the outcomes of various eHealth studies, none have been gastroenterology-specific. This paper aims to evaluate the research conducted within gastroenterology which utilizes internet-based eHealth technology to promote physical and psychological well-being. A systematic literature review of internet-based eHealth interventions involving gastroenterological cohorts was conducted. Searched databases included: EbSCOhost Medline, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting on eHealth interventions (both to manage mental health problems and somatic symptoms) in gastroenterology, with no time restrictions. Exclusion criteria were non-experimental studies, or studies using only email as primary eHealth method, and studies in language other than English. A total of 17 papers were identified; seven studies evaluated the efficacy of a psychologically oriented intervention (additional two provided follow-up analyses exploring the original published data) and eight studies evaluated disease management programs for patients with either irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or celiac disease. Overall, psychological eHealth interventions were associated with significant reductions in bowel symptoms and improvement in quality of life (QoL) that tended to continue up to 12 months follow up. The eHealth disease management was shown to generally improve QoL, adherence, knowledge about the disease, and reduce healthcare costs in IBD, although the studies were associated with various methodological problems, and thus, this observation should be confirmed in well-designed interventional studies. Based on the evidence to date, eHealth internet-based technology is a promising tool that can be utilized to both promote and enhance gastrointestinal disease management and mental health.

Self-managed eHealth Disease Monitoring in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, Katrine; Jakobsen, Christian; Houen, Gunnar

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of eHealth on disease activity, the need for hospital contacts, and medical adherence in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Furthermore, to assess eHealth's influence on school attendance and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Patients...... with IBD, 10 to 17 years attending a public university hospital, were prospectively randomized to a 2-year open label case-controlled eHealth intervention. The eHealth-group used the web-application young.constant-care.com (YCC) on a monthly basis and in case of flare-ups, and were seen at one annual......: Fifty-three patients in nonbiological treatment were included (27 eHealth/26 control). We found no differences between the groups regarding escalation in treatment and disease activity (symptoms, fecal calprotectin, and blood). The number of total outpatient visits (mean: eHealth 3.26, SEM 0.51; control...

Experience of nurses with using eHealth in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: a qualitative study in primary and secondary healthcare

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background To improve the quality of health care in remote parts of Pakistan, a research project was initiated in the mountainous region of Gilgit-Baltistan using information and communication technology to improve patient care and support continuing education of health providers (eHealth). This paper describes the experience of nurses in using eHealth in their routine practices. Methods All health centres of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan using eHealth as part of this study, were taken as a single case. These include four primary healthcare centres, three secondary care centres and one medical centre. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guide to study nurses’ perspective about using eHealth, and its perceived impact on their professional lives. Results According to the respondents, eHealth enhanced access to care for remote communities, and improved quality of health services by providing opportunities for continuing learning. Nurses also appreciated eHealth for reducing their professional isolation, and providing exposure to new knowledge through teleconsultations and eLearning. The responses categorized under six major headings include: gaps in health services prior to eHealth; role of eHealth in addressing these gaps; benefits of eHealth; challenges in eHealth implementation; community’s perception about eHealth; and future recommendations. Conclusions Low-cost and simple eHealth solutions have shown to benefit nurses, and the communities in the remote mountainous regions of Pakistan. PMID:23452373

Exploring consumer opinions on the presentation of side-effects information in Australian Consumer Medicine Information leaflets.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Vivien; Raynor, David K; Blalock, Susan J; Aslani, Parisa

2016-06-01

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is a brand-specific and standardized source of written medicine information available in Australia for all prescription medicines. Side-effect information is poorly presented in CMI and may not adequately address consumer information needs. To explore consumer opinions on (i) the presentation of side-effect information in existing Australian CMI leaflets and alternative study-designed CMIs and (ii) side-effect risk information and its impact on treatment decision making. Fuzzy trace, affect heuristic, frequency hypothesis and cognitive-experiential theories were applied when revising existing CMI side-effects sections. Together with good information design, functional linguistics and medicine information expertise, alternative ramipril and clopidogrel CMI versions were proposed. Focus groups were then conducted to address the study objectives. Three focus groups (n = 18) were conducted in Sydney, Australia. Mean consumer age was 58 years (range 50-65 years), with equal number of males and females. All consumers preferred the alternative CMIs developed as part of the study, with unequivocal preference for the side-effects presented in a simple tabular format, as it allowed quick and easy access to information. Consumer misunderstandings reflected literacy and numeracy issues inherent in consumer risk appraisal. Many preferred no numerical information and a large proportion preferred natural frequencies. One single method of risk presentation in CMI is unable to cater for all consumers. Consumer misunderstandings are indicative of possible health literacy and numeracy factors that influence consumer risk appraisal, which should be explored further. © 2014 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Role of eHealth in Optimizing Preventive Care in the Primary Care Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Mariko; Noble, Natasha; Mansfield, Elise; Waller, Amy; Henskens, Frans; Sanson-Fisher, Rob

2015-05-22

Modifiable health risk behaviors such as smoking, overweight and obesity, risky alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition contribute to a substantial proportion of the world's morbidity and mortality burden. General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in identifying and managing modifiable health risk behaviors. However, these are often underdetected and undermanaged in the primary care setting. We describe the potential of eHealth to help patients and GPs to overcome some of the barriers to managing health risk behaviors. In particular, we discuss (1) the role of eHealth in facilitating routine collection of patient-reported data on lifestyle risk factors, and (2) the role of eHealth in improving clinical management of identified risk factors through provision of tailored feedback, point-of-care reminders, tailored educational materials, and referral to online self-management programs. Strategies to harness the capacity of the eHealth medium, including the use of dynamic features and tailoring to help end users engage with, understand, and apply information need to be considered and maximized. Finally, the potential challenges in implementing eHealth solutions in the primary care setting are discussed. In conclusion, there is significant potential for innovative eHealth solutions to make a contribution to improving preventive care in the primary care setting. However, attention to issues such as data security and designing eHealth interfaces that maximize engagement from end users will be important to moving this field forward.

Evaluation of the Introduction of an e-Health Skills Component for Dietetics Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollo, Megan E; Collins, Clare E; MacDonald-Wicks, Lesley

2017-11-01

Appropriate and effective use of technology within practice is a key competency outlined in Australian dietetics training standards. An e-health skills component (lecture and workshop) was introduced to undergraduate students enrolled in an Australian nutrition and dietetics program. The lecture orientated students to key e-health terms and concepts relating to telehealth and m-health technologies, while the workshop provided an opportunity to apply knowledge. The workshop consisted of four stations with activities relating to (1) orientation to telehealth equipment; (2) comparison of dietetic consultation components completed in person versus remotely via video call; (3) quality assessment of mobile apps; and (4) exploration of advantages and disadvantages, and the ethical, security, and privacy issues relating to use of e-health technologies in dietetic practice. Student experience of the training was evaluated via questionnaire. Forty-five students (62.2% aged ≤19-24 years, 86.7% female) completed the survey. Following the workshop, the level of understanding relating to each key e-health concept improved significantly (p education to support the use of e-health technologies within dietetic practice were rated a high level of importance by most students (78-80%). The majority of students (93.3% to 97.8%) reported a positive experience at each of the four workshop stations, with "informative" the most common word selected to rate each station (37.8% to 44.4% of students across the four stations). The introduction of an e-health skills component resulted in an improved understanding of concepts for using these technologies. These findings provide preliminary support for integration of further e-health training within the dietetics program.

Dropout From an eHealth Intervention for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lie, Silje Stangeland; Karlsen, Bjørg; Oord, Ellen Renate; Graue, Marit; Oftedal, Bjørg

2017-05-30

Adequate self-management is the cornerstone of type 2 diabetes treatment, as people make the majority of daily treatment measures and health decisions. The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the complexity of diabetes self-management demonstrate the need for innovative and effective ways to deliver self-management support. eHealth interventions are promoted worldwide and hold a great potential in future health care for people with chronic diseases such as T2DM. However, many eHealth interventions face high dropout rates. This led to our interest in the experiences of participants who dropped out of an eHealth intervention for adults with T2DM, based on the Guided Self-Determination (GSD) counseling method. In this study, we aimed to explore experiences with an eHealth intervention based on GSD in general practice from the perspective of those who dropped out and to understand their reasons for dropping out. To the best of our knowledge, no previous qualitative study has focused on participants who withdrew from an eHealth self-management support intervention for adults with T2DM. A qualitative design based on telephone interviews was used to collect data. The sample comprised 12 adults with type 2 diabetes who dropped out of an eHealth intervention. Data were collected in 2016 and subjected to qualitative content analysis. We identified one overall theme: "Losing motivation for intervention participation." This theme was illustrated by four categories related to the participants' experiences of the eHealth intervention: (1) frustrating technology, (2) perceiving the content as irrelevant and incomprehensible, (3) choosing other activities and perspectives, and (4) lacking face-to-face encounters. Our findings indicate that the eHealth intervention based on GSD without face-to-face encounters with nurses reduced participants' motivation for engagement in the intervention. To maintain motivation, our study points to the importance of

Implementation science approaches for integrating eHealth research into practice and policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Glasgow, Russell E; Phillips, Siobhan M; Sanchez, Michael A

2014-07-01

To summarize key issues in the eHealth field from an implementation science perspective and to highlight illustrative processes, examples and key directions to help more rapidly integrate research, policy and practice. We present background on implementation science models and emerging principles; discuss implications for eHealth research; provide examples of practical designs, measures and exemplar studies that address key implementation science issues; and make recommendations for ways to more rapidly develop and test eHealth interventions as well as future research, policy and practice. The pace of eHealth research has generally not kept up with technological advances, and many of our designs, methods and funding mechanisms are incapable of providing the types of rapid and relevant information needed. Although there has been substantial eHealth research conducted with positive short-term results, several key implementation and dissemination issues such as representativeness, cost, unintended consequences, impact on health inequities, and sustainability have not been addressed or reported. Examples of studies in several of these areas are summarized to demonstrate this is possible. eHealth research that is intended to translate into policy and practice should be more contextual, report more on setting factors, employ more responsive and pragmatic designs and report results more transparently on issues important to potential adopting patients, clinicians and organizational decision makers. We outline an alternative development and assessment model, summarize implementation science findings that can help focus attention, and call for different types of more rapid and relevant research and funding mechanisms. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The Role of Libraries in eHealth Service Delivery in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Sarada

2009-01-01

eHealth is an emerging service sector which has great potential to improve health care delivery to rural and remote communities, facilitate health surveillance, and promote health education and research. Despite the critical need for eHealth services in Australia based on the challenges of distance and human resources, its utility has yet to be…

eHealth and Global Health: Investments Opportunities and Challenges for Industry in Developing Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Iluyemi, Adesina; Briggs, Jim

eHealth investments from developed countries to developing countries are expected to follow the emerging trend of eHealth for meeting global health problems. However, eHealth industry from developed countries will need to learn to make this impending venture a ‘win-win’ situation with profitable return on investments. This short paper highlights some of these challenges that must be overcome in order to achieve these objectives.

Heuristic Evaluation of Ehealth Interventions: Establishing Standards That Relate to the Therapeutic Process Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumel, Amit; Muench, Fred

2016-01-13

In recent years, the number of available eHealth interventions aimed at treating behavioral and mental health challenges has been growing. From the perspective of health care providers, there is a need for eHealth interventions to be evaluated prior to clinical trials and for the limited resources allocated to empirical research to be invested in the most promising products. Following a literature review, a gap was found in the availability of eHealth interventions evaluation principles related to the patient experience of the therapeutic process. This paper introduces principles and concepts for the evaluation of eHealth interventions developed as a first step in a process to outline general evaluation guidelines that relate to the clinical context from health care providers' perspective. Our approach was to conduct a review of literature that relates to the examination of eHealth interventions. We identified the literature that was most relevant to our study and used it to define guidelines that relate to the clinical context. We then compiled a list of heuristics we found to be useful for the evaluation of eHealth intervention products' suitability for empirical examination. Four heuristics were identified with respect to the therapeutic process: (1) the product's ease of use (ie, usability), (2) the eHealth intervention's compatibility with the clinical setting, (3) the presence of tools that make it easier for the user to engage in therapeutic activities, and (4) the provision of a feasible therapeutic pathway to growth. We then used this set of heuristics to conduct a detailed examination of MyFitnessPal. This line of work could help to set the bar higher for product developers and to inform health care providers about preferred eHealth intervention designs.

Risks related to the use of eHealth technologies - an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ossebaard, Hans Cornelis; de Bruijn, Adrie; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Geertsma, R.E.

2013-01-01

More awareness is needed about the risks of e-Health technology. While information regarding its potential is abundant, the risks associated with the use of information (including mobile) and communication technology in health care have scarcely been addressed. In order to implement e-Health

eHealth in the future of medications management: personalisation, monitoring and adherence.

Science.gov (United States)

Car, Josip; Tan, Woan Shin; Huang, Zhilian; Sloot, Peter; Franklin, Bryony Dean

2017-04-05

Globally, healthcare systems face major challenges with medicines management and medication adherence. Medication adherence determines medication effectiveness and can be the single most effective intervention for improving health outcomes. In anticipation of growth in eHealth interventions worldwide, we explore the role of eHealth in the patients' medicines management journey in primary care, focusing on personalisation and intelligent monitoring for greater adherence. eHealth offers opportunities to transform every step of the patient's medicines management journey. From booking appointments, consultation with a healthcare professional, decision-making, medication dispensing, carer support, information acquisition and monitoring, to learning about medicines and their management in daily life. It has the potential to support personalisation and monitoring and thus lead to better adherence. For some of these dimensions, such as supporting decision-making and providing reminders and prompts, evidence is stronger, but for many others more rigorous research is urgently needed. Given the potential benefits and barriers to eHealth in medicines management, a fine balance needs to be established between evidence-based integration of technologies and constructive experimentation that could lead to a game-changing breakthrough. A concerted, transdisciplinary approach adapted to different contexts, including low- and middle-income contries is required to realise the benefits of eHealth at scale.

Interdisciplinary eHealth Practice in Cancer Care: A Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Anna; Brunner, Melissa; Keep, Melanie; Hines, Monique; Nagarajan, Srivalli Vilapakkam; Kielly-Carroll, Candice; Dennis, Sarah; McKeough, Zoe; Shaw, Tim

2017-10-25

This review aimed to identify research that described how eHealth facilitates interdisciplinary cancer care and to understand the ways in which eHealth innovations are being used in this setting. An integrative review of eHealth interventions used for interdisciplinary care for people with cancer was conducted by systematically searching research databases in March 2015, and repeated in September 2016. Searches resulted in 8531 citations, of which 140 were retrieved and scanned in full, with twenty-six studies included in the review. Analysis of data extracted from the included articles revealed five broad themes: (i) data collection and accessibility; (ii) virtual multidisciplinary teams; (iii) communication between individuals involved in the delivery of health services; (iv) communication pathways between patients and cancer care teams; and (v) health professional-led change. Use of eHealth interventions in cancer care was widespread, particularly to support interdisciplinary care. However, research has focused on development and implementation of interventions, rather than on long-term impact. Further research is warranted to explore design, evaluation, and long-term sustainability of eHealth systems and interventions in interdisciplinary cancer care. Technology evolves quickly and researchers need to provide health professionals with timely guidance on how best to respond to new technologies in the health sector.

eHealth and mHealth initiatives in Bangladesh: A scoping study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The health system of Bangladesh is haunted by challenges of accessibility and affordability. Despite impressive gains in many health indicators, recent evidence has raised concerns regarding the utilization, quality and equity of healthcare. In the context of new and unfamiliar public health challenges including high population density and rapid urbanization, eHealth and mHealth are being promoted as a route to cost-effective, equitable and quality healthcare in Bangladesh. The aim of this paper is to highlight such initiatives and understand their true potential. Methods This scoping study applies a combination of research tools to explore 26 eHealth and mHealth initiatives in Bangladesh. A screening matrix was developed by modifying the framework of Arksey & O’Malley, further complemented by case study and SWOT analysis to identify common traits among the selected interventions. The WHO health system building blocks approach was then used for thematic analysis of these traits. Results Findings suggest that most eHealth and mHealth initiatives have proliferated within the private sector, using mobile phones. The most common initiatives include tele-consultation, prescription and referral. While a minority of projects have a monitoring and evaluation framework, less than a quarter have undertaken evaluation. Most of the initiatives use a health management information system (HMIS) to monitor implementation. However, these do not provide for effective sharing of information and interconnectedness among the various actors. There are extremely few individuals with eHealth training in Bangladesh and there is a strong demand for capacity building and experience sharing, especially for implementation and policy making. There is also a lack of research evidence on how to design interventions to meet the needs of the population and on potential benefits. Conclusion This study concludes that Bangladesh needs considerable preparation and planning to sustain eHealth

eHealth and mHealth initiatives in Bangladesh: a scoping study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Tanvir; Lucas, Henry; Khan, Azfar Sadun; Islam, Rubana; Bhuiya, Abbas; Iqbal, Mohammad

2014-06-16

The health system of Bangladesh is haunted by challenges of accessibility and affordability. Despite impressive gains in many health indicators, recent evidence has raised concerns regarding the utilization, quality and equity of healthcare. In the context of new and unfamiliar public health challenges including high population density and rapid urbanization, eHealth and mHealth are being promoted as a route to cost-effective, equitable and quality healthcare in Bangladesh. The aim of this paper is to highlight such initiatives and understand their true potential. This scoping study applies a combination of research tools to explore 26 eHealth and mHealth initiatives in Bangladesh. A screening matrix was developed by modifying the framework of Arksey & O'Malley, further complemented by case study and SWOT analysis to identify common traits among the selected interventions. The WHO health system building blocks approach was then used for thematic analysis of these traits. Findings suggest that most eHealth and mHealth initiatives have proliferated within the private sector, using mobile phones. The most common initiatives include tele-consultation, prescription and referral. While a minority of projects have a monitoring and evaluation framework, less than a quarter have undertaken evaluation. Most of the initiatives use a health management information system (HMIS) to monitor implementation. However, these do not provide for effective sharing of information and interconnectedness among the various actors. There are extremely few individuals with eHealth training in Bangladesh and there is a strong demand for capacity building and experience sharing, especially for implementation and policy making. There is also a lack of research evidence on how to design interventions to meet the needs of the population and on potential benefits. This study concludes that Bangladesh needs considerable preparation and planning to sustain eHealth and mHealth initiatives successfully

Diffusion of e-health innovations in 'post-conflict' settings: a qualitative study on the personal experiences of health workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodward, Aniek; Fyfe, Molly; Handuleh, Jibril; Patel, Preeti; Godman, Brian; Leather, Andrew; Finlayson, Alexander

2014-04-23

Technological innovations have the potential to strengthen human resources for health and improve access and quality of care in challenging 'post-conflict' contexts. However, analyses on the adoption of technology for health (that is, 'e-health') and whether and how e-health can strengthen a health workforce in these settings have been limited so far. This study explores the personal experiences of health workers using e-health innovations in selected post-conflict situations. This study had a cross-sectional qualitative design. Telephone interviews were conducted with 12 health workers, from a variety of cadres and stages in their careers, from four post-conflict settings (Liberia, West Bank and Gaza, Sierra Leone and Somaliland) in 2012. Everett Roger's diffusion of innovation-decision model (that is, knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, contemplation) guided the thematic analysis. All health workers interviewed held positive perceptions of e-health, related to their beliefs that e-health can help them to access information and communicate with other health workers. However, understanding of the scope of e-health was generally limited, and often based on innovations that health workers have been introduced through by their international partners. Health workers reported a range of engagement with e-health innovations, mostly for communication (for example, email) and educational purposes (for example, online learning platforms). Poor, unreliable and unaffordable Internet was a commonly mentioned barrier to e-health use. Scaling-up existing e-health partnerships and innovations were suggested starting points to increase e-health innovation dissemination. Results from this study showed ICT based e-health innovations can relieve information and communication needs of health workers in post-conflict settings. However, more efforts and investments, preferably driven by healthcare workers within the post-conflict context, are needed to make e-health more

eHealth Service Support in Future IPv6 Vehicular Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Véronique Vèque

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Recent vehicular networking activities include novel automotive applications, such as public vehicle to vehicle/infrastructure (V2X, large scale deployments, machine-to-machine (M2M integration scenarios, and more. The platform described in this paper focuses on the integration of eHealth in a V2I setting. This is to allow the use of Internet from a vehicular setting to disseminate health-related information. From an eHealth viewpoint, the use of remote healthcare solutions to record and transmit a patient’s vital signs is a special telemedicine application that helps hospital resident health professionals to optimally prepare the patient’s admittance. From the automotive perspective, this is a typical vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I communication scenario. This proposal provides an IPv6 vehicular platform, which integrates eHealth devices and allows sending captured health-related data to a personal health record (PHR application server in the IPv6 Internet. The collected data is viewed remotely by a doctor and supports his diagnostic decision. In particular, our work introduces the integration of vehicular and eHealth testbeds, describes related work and presents a lightweight auto-configuration method based on a DHCPv6 extension to provide IPv6 connectivity with a few numbers of messages.

Lessons Learned From a Living Lab on the Broad Adoption of eHealth in Primary Health Care.

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Swinkels, Ilse Catharina Sophia; Huygens, Martine Wilhelmina Johanna; Schoenmakers, Tim M; Oude Nijeweme-D'Hollosy, Wendy; van Velsen, Lex; Vermeulen, Joan; Schoone-Harmsen, Marian; Jansen, Yvonne Jfm; van Schayck, Onno Cp; Friele, Roland; de Witte, Luc

2018-03-29

Electronic health (eHealth) solutions are considered to relieve current and future pressure on the sustainability of primary health care systems. However, evidence of the effectiveness of eHealth in daily practice is missing. Furthermore, eHealth solutions are often not implemented structurally after a pilot phase, even if successful during this phase. Although many studies on barriers and facilitators were published in recent years, eHealth implementation still progresses only slowly. To further unravel the slow implementation process in primary health care and accelerate the implementation of eHealth, a 3-year Living Lab project was set up. In the Living Lab, called eLabEL, patients, health care professionals, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and research institutes collaborated to select and integrate fully mature eHealth technologies for implementation in primary health care. Seven primary health care centers, 10 SMEs, and 4 research institutes participated. This viewpoint paper aims to show the process of adoption of eHealth in primary care from the perspective of different stakeholders in a qualitative way. We provide a real-world view on how such a process occurs, including successes and failures related to the different perspectives. Reflective and process-based notes from all meetings of the project partners, interview data, and data of focus groups were analyzed systematically using four theoretical models to study the adoption of eHealth in primary care. The results showed that large-scale implementation of eHealth depends on the efforts of and interaction and collaboration among 4 groups of stakeholders: patients, health care professionals, SMEs, and those responsible for health care policy (health care insurers and policy makers). These stakeholders are all acting within their own contexts and with their own values and expectations. We experienced that patients reported expected benefits regarding the use of eHealth for self

Factors that influence the implementation of e-health: a systematic review of systematic reviews (an update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie Ross

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a significant potential for e-health to deliver cost-effective, quality health care, and spending on e-health systems by governments and healthcare systems is increasing worldwide. However, there remains a tension between the use of e-health in this way and implementation. Furthermore, the large body of reviews in the e-health implementation field, often based on one particular technology, setting or health condition make it difficult to access a comprehensive and comprehensible summary of available evidence to help plan and undertake implementation. This review provides an update and re-analysis of a systematic review of the e-health implementation literature culminating in a set of accessible and usable recommendations for anyone involved or interested in the implementation of e-health. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library were searched for studies published between 2009 and 2014. Studies were included if they were systematic reviews of the implementation of e-health. Data from included studies were synthesised using the principles of meta-ethnography, and categorisation of the data was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR. Results Forty-four reviews mainly from North America and Europe were included. A range of e-health technologies including electronic medical records and clinical decision support systems were represented. Healthcare settings included primary care, secondary care and home care. Factors important for implementation were identified at the levels of the following: the individual e-health technology, the outer setting, the inner setting and the individual health professionals as well as the process of implementation. Conclusion This systematic review of reviews provides a synthesis of the literature that both acknowledges the multi-level complexity of e-health implementation and provides an accessible and useful guide for those

A holistic framework to improve the uptake and impact of eHealth technologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Nijland, N.; van Limburg, A.H.M.; Ossebaard, Hans Cornelis; Kelders, Saskia Marion; Eysenbach, Gunther; Seydel, E.R.

2011-01-01

Background: Many eHealth technologies are not successful in realizing sustainable innovations in health care practices. One of the reasons for this is that the current development of eHealth technology often disregards the interdependencies between technology, human characteristics, and the

addressing low-literacy in the south african clothing retail environment

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Literacy is based on the ability to read and write, as well ... is a concern for consumers' efficient decision making in the .... Concrete reasoning by low-literate consumers manifests in .... meanings and explanations of their clothing market reality ...

Stewards of Digital Literacies

Science.gov (United States)

Rheingold, Howard

2012-01-01

Participatory culture, in which citizens feel and exercise the agency of being cocreators of their culture and not just passive consumers of culture created by others, depends on widespread literacies of participation. One can't participate without knowing how. And cultural participation depends on a social component that is not easily learned…

eWALL Innovation for Smart e-Health Monitoring Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Kyriazakos, Sofoklis

2017-01-01

E-health environments should be designed to provide personalized services and applications to their primary users (i.e. the patients) by breaking the barrier of technology acceptance and addressing their daily needs, under strict regulation and security constraints. A typical scenario would employ...... wireless and wired sensors and local or cloud-based processing units to collect, process, store and communicate data related to the patients’ needs and condition. E-health devices can be located on the patients’ bodies or immediate environments to monitor and interact with the patients, while they perform...

Knowledge translation in eHealth: building a virtual community.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassi, Jesdeep; Lau, Francis; Hagens, Simon; Leaver, Chad; Price, Morgan

2013-01-01

Knowledge can be powerful in eliciting positive change when it is put into action. This is the belief that drives knowledge translation. The University of Victoria (UVic) eHealth Observatory is focused on deriving knowledge from health information system (HIS) evaluation, which needs to be shared with HIS practitioners. Through an application of the Knowledge-to-Action Framework and the concept of a virtual community, we have established the virtual eHealth Benefits Evaluation Knowledge Translation (KT) Community. This paper describes the foundational elements of the KT Community and our overall KT strategy.

Climate change and eHealth: a promising strategy for health sector mitigation and adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Åsa Holmner

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Climate change is one of today's most pressing global issues. Policies to guide mitigation and adaptation are needed to avoid the devastating impacts of climate change. The health sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries, and its climate impact in low-income countries is growing steadily. This paper reviews and discusses the literature regarding health sector mitigation potential, known and hypothetical co-benefits, and the potential of health information technology, such as eHealth, in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The promising role of eHealth as an adaptation strategy to reduce societal vulnerability to climate change, and the link's between mitigation and adaptation, are also discussed. The topic of environmental eHealth has gained little attention to date, despite its potential to contribute to more sustainable and green health care. A growing number of local and global initiatives on ‘green information and communication technology (ICT’ are now mentioning eHealth as a promising technology with the potential to reduce emission rates from ICT use. However, the embracing of eHealth is slow because of limitations in technological infrastructure, capacity and political will. Further research on potential emissions reductions and co-benefits with green ICT, in terms of health outcomes and economic effectiveness, would be valuable to guide development and implementation of eHealth in health sector mitigation and adaptation policies.

Climate change and eHealth: a promising strategy for health sector mitigation and adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Holmner, Åsa; Rocklöv, Joacim; Ng, Nawi; Nilsson, Maria

2012-01-01

Climate change is one of today's most pressing global issues. Policies to guide mitigation and adaptation are needed to avoid the devastating impacts of climate change. The health sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries, and its climate impact in low-income countries is growing steadily. This paper reviews and discusses the literature regarding health sector mitigation potential, known and hypothetical co-benefits, and the potential of health information technology, such as eHealth, in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The promising role of eHealth as an adaptation strategy to reduce societal vulnerability to climate change, and the link's between mitigation and adaptation, are also discussed. The topic of environmental eHealth has gained little attention to date, despite its potential to contribute to more sustainable and green health care. A growing number of local and global initiatives on ‘green information and communication technology (ICT)’ are now mentioning eHealth as a promising technology with the potential to reduce emission rates from ICT use. However, the embracing of eHealth is slow because of limitations in technological infrastructure, capacity and political will. Further research on potential emissions reductions and co-benefits with green ICT, in terms of health outcomes and economic effectiveness, would be valuable to guide development and implementation of eHealth in health sector mitigation and adaptation policies. PMID:22679398

Security Attacks and Solutions in Electronic Health (E-health) Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeadally, Sherali; Isaac, Jesús Téllez; Baig, Zubair

2016-12-01

For centuries, healthcare has been a basic service provided by many governments to their citizens. Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a significant transformation in the quality of healthcare services provided by healthcare organizations and professionals. Recent advances have led to the emergence of Electronic Health (E-health), largely made possible by the massive deployment and adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs). However, cybercriminals and attackers are exploiting vulnerabilities associated primarily with ICTs, causing data breaches of patients' confidential digital health information records. Here, we review recent security attacks reported for E-healthcare and discuss the solutions proposed to mitigate them. We also identify security challenges that must be addressed by E-health system designers and implementers in the future, to respond to threats that could arise as E-health systems become integrated with technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and smart cities.

Towards Usable E-Health. A Systematic Review of Usability Questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa, Vanessa E C; Dunn Lopez, Karen

2017-05-10

The use of e-health can lead to several positive outcomes. However, the potential for e-health to improve healthcare is partially dependent on its ease of use. In order to determine the usability for any technology, rigorously developed and appropriate measures must be chosen. To identify psychometrically tested questionnaires that measure usability of e-health tools, and to appraise their generalizability, attributes coverage, and quality. We conducted a systematic review of studies that measured usability of e-health tools using four databases (Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, and HAPI). Non-primary research, studies that did not report measures, studies with children or people with cognitive limitations, and studies about assistive devices or medical equipment were systematically excluded. Two authors independently extracted information including: questionnaire name, number of questions, scoring method, item generation, and psychometrics using a data extraction tool with pre-established categories and a quality appraisal scoring table. Using a broad search strategy, 5,558 potentially relevant papers were identified. After removing duplicates and applying exclusion criteria, 35 articles remained that used 15 unique questionnaires. From the 15 questionnaires, only 5 were general enough to be used across studies. Usability attributes covered by the questionnaires were: learnability (15), efficiency (12), and satisfaction (11). Memorability (1) was the least covered attribute. Quality appraisal showed that face/content (14) and construct (7) validity were the most frequent types of validity assessed. All questionnaires reported reliability measurement. Some questionnaires scored low in the quality appraisal for the following reasons: limited validity testing (7), small sample size (3), no reporting of user centeredness (9) or feasibility estimates of time, effort, and expense (7). Existing questionnaires provide a foundation for research on e-health usability. However

Consumer Health Informatics Aspects of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomic Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Kathleen; Stephen, Remya; Terrill, Bronwyn; Wilson, Brenda; Middleton, Anna; Tytherleigh, Rigan; Turbitt, Erin; Gaff, Clara; Savard, Jacqueline; Hickerton, Chriselle; Newson, Ainsley; Metcalfe, Sylvia

2017-01-01

This paper uses consumer health informatics as a framework to explore whether and how direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing can be regarded as a form of information which assists consumers to manage their health. It presents findings from qualitative content analysis of web sites that offer testing services, and of transcripts from focus groups conducted as part a study of the Australian public's expectations of personal genomics. Content analysis showed that service offerings have some features of consumer health information but lack consistency. Focus group participants were mostly unfamiliar with the specifics of test reports and related information services. Some of their ideas about aids to knowledge were in line with the benefits described on provider web sites, but some expectations were inflated. People were ambivalent about whether these services would address consumers' health needs, interests and contexts and whether they would support consumers' health self-management decisions and outcomes. There is scope for consumer health informatics approaches to refine the usage and the utility of direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing. Further research may focus on how uptake is affected by consumers' health literacy or by services' engagement with consumers about what they really want.

The Relevance of Health Literacy to mHealth.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreps, Gary L

2017-01-01

This chapter examines the importance of health literacy to the design and use of mobile digital health information technology (mHealth) applications. Over the past two decades mHealth has evolved to become a major health communication channel for delivering health care, promoting health, and tracking health behaviors. Yet, there are serious communication challenges that must be addressed concerning the best way to design and utilize mHealth application to achieve key health promotion goals, including assuring the appropriateness and effectiveness of mHealth messaging for audiences with different communication competencies, styles, and health literacy levels, to ensure that mHealth applications are truly effective tools for health promotion. Health literacy is one of the major communication issues relevant to the effective use of mHealth. To be effective, mHealth applications need to match the messages conveyed via these mobile media to the specific health communication needs, orientations, and competencies of intended audience members. Unfortunately, current evidence suggests that many mHealth applications are difficult for audiences to utilize because they provide health information that is not easy for many consumers to understand and apply. Health literacy refers to the ability of participants within the health care system to accurately interpret and utilize relevant health information and resources to achieve their health goals. Evidence suggests that many consumers possess limited levels of health literacy to adequately understand health information, especially when they are feeling ill, since health literacy is both a trait (limited education, language facility, etc.), and a state condition (based on how their current physical and mental states influence their abilities to communicate effectively). Therefore, it is incumbent upon mHealth developers to design and utilize message systems. Strategies for designing and implementing mHealth applications to meet

The rise of digital direct-to-consumer advertising?: Comparison of direct-to-consumer advertising expenditure trends from publicly available data sources and global policy implications

OpenAIRE

Mackey, Tim K.; Cuomo, Raphael E.; Liang, Bryan A.

2015-01-01

Background Pharmaceutical marketing is undergoing a major shift in the United States, in part due to new transparency regulations under the healthcare reform act. Changes in pharmaceutical marketing practices include a possible shift from more traditional forms of direct-to-consumer advertising towards emerging use of Internet-based DTCA (?eDTCA?) given the growing importance of digital health or ?eHealth.? Though legally allowed only in the U.S. and New Zealand, eDTCA poses novel regulatory ...

Implementation factors and their effect on e-Health service adoption in rural communities: a systematic literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hage Eveline

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An ageing population is seen as a threat to the quality of life and health in rural communities, and it is often assumed that e-Health services can address this issue. As successful e-Health implementation in organizations has proven difficult, this systematic literature review considers whether this is so for rural communities. This review identifies the critical implementation factors and, following the change model of Pettigrew and Whipp, classifies them in terms of “context”, “process”, and “content”. Through this lens, we analyze the empirical findings found in the literature to address the question: How do context, process, and content factors of e-Health implementation influence its adoption in rural communities? Methods We conducted a systematic literature review. This review included papers that met six inclusion and exclusion criteria and had sufficient methodological quality. Findings were categorized in a classification matrix to identify promoting and restraining implementation factors and to explore whether any interactions between context, process, and content affect adoption. Results Of the 5,896 abstracts initially identified, only 51 papers met all our criteria and were included in the review. We distinguished five different perspectives on rural e-Health implementation in these papers. Further, we list the context, process, and content implementation factors found to either promote or restrain rural e-Health adoption. Many implementation factors appear repeatedly, but there are also some contradictory results. Based on a further analysis of the papers’ findings, we argue that interaction effects between context, process, and content elements of change may explain these contradictory results. More specifically, three themes that appear crucial in e-Health implementation in rural communities surfaced: the dual effects of geographical isolation, the targeting of underprivileged groups, and the

Authentication Architecture for Region-Wide e-Health System with Smartcards and a PKI

Science.gov (United States)

Zúquete, André; Gomes, Helder; Cunha, João Paulo Silva

This paper describes the design and implementation of an e-Health authentication architecture using smartcards and a PKI. This architecture was developed to authenticate e-Health Professionals accessing the RTS (Rede Telemática da Saúde), a regional platform for sharing clinical data among a set of affiliated health institutions. The architecture had to accommodate specific RTS requirements, namely the security of Professionals' credentials, the mobility of Professionals, and the scalability to accommodate new health institutions. The adopted solution uses short-lived certificates and cross-certification agreements between RTS and e-Health institutions for authenticating Professionals accessing the RTS. These certificates carry as well the Professional's role at their home institution for role-based authorization. Trust agreements between e-Health institutions and RTS are necessary in order to make the certificates recognized by the RTS. As a proof of concept, a prototype was implemented with Windows technology. The presented authentication architecture is intended to be applied to other medical telematic systems.

Business Modeling to Implement an eHealth Portal for Infection Control: A Reflection on Co-Creation With Stakeholders

Science.gov (United States)

Wentzel, Jobke; Sanderman, Robbert; van Gemert-Pijnen, Lisette

2015-01-01

Background It is acknowledged that the success and uptake of eHealth improve with the involvement of users and stakeholders to make technology reflect their needs. Involving stakeholders in implementation research is thus a crucial element in developing eHealth technology. Business modeling is an approach to guide implementation research for eHealth. Stakeholders are involved in business modeling by identifying relevant stakeholders, conducting value co-creation dialogs, and co-creating a business model. Because implementation activities are often underestimated as a crucial step while developing eHealth, comprehensive and applicable approaches geared toward business modeling in eHealth are scarce. Objective This paper demonstrates the potential of several stakeholder-oriented analysis methods and their practical application was demonstrated using Infectionmanager as an example case. In this paper, we aim to demonstrate how business modeling, with the focus on stakeholder involvement, is used to co-create an eHealth implementation. Methods We divided business modeling in 4 main research steps. As part of stakeholder identification, we performed literature scans, expert recommendations, and snowball sampling (Step 1). For stakeholder analyzes, we performed “basic stakeholder analysis,” stakeholder salience, and ranking/analytic hierarchy process (Step 2). For value co-creation dialogs, we performed a process analysis and stakeholder interviews based on the business model canvas (Step 3). Finally, for business model generation, we combined all findings into the business model canvas (Step 4). Results Based on the applied methods, we synthesized a step-by-step guide for business modeling with stakeholder-oriented analysis methods that we consider suitable for implementing eHealth. Conclusions The step-by-step guide for business modeling with stakeholder involvement enables eHealth researchers to apply a systematic and multidisciplinary, co-creative approach for

Business Modeling to Implement an eHealth Portal for Infection Control: A Reflection on Co-Creation With Stakeholders.

Science.gov (United States)

van Limburg, Maarten; Wentzel, Jobke; Sanderman, Robbert; van Gemert-Pijnen, Lisette

2015-08-13

It is acknowledged that the success and uptake of eHealth improve with the involvement of users and stakeholders to make technology reflect their needs. Involving stakeholders in implementation research is thus a crucial element in developing eHealth technology. Business modeling is an approach to guide implementation research for eHealth. Stakeholders are involved in business modeling by identifying relevant stakeholders, conducting value co-creation dialogs, and co-creating a business model. Because implementation activities are often underestimated as a crucial step while developing eHealth, comprehensive and applicable approaches geared toward business modeling in eHealth are scarce. This paper demonstrates the potential of several stakeholder-oriented analysis methods and their practical application was demonstrated using Infectionmanager as an example case. In this paper, we aim to demonstrate how business modeling, with the focus on stakeholder involvement, is used to co-create an eHealth implementation. We divided business modeling in 4 main research steps. As part of stakeholder identification, we performed literature scans, expert recommendations, and snowball sampling (Step 1). For stakeholder analyzes, we performed "basic stakeholder analysis," stakeholder salience, and ranking/analytic hierarchy process (Step 2). For value co-creation dialogs, we performed a process analysis and stakeholder interviews based on the business model canvas (Step 3). Finally, for business model generation, we combined all findings into the business model canvas (Step 4). Based on the applied methods, we synthesized a step-by-step guide for business modeling with stakeholder-oriented analysis methods that we consider suitable for implementing eHealth. The step-by-step guide for business modeling with stakeholder involvement enables eHealth researchers to apply a systematic and multidisciplinary, co-creative approach for implementing eHealth. Business modeling becomes an

Barriers and Facilitators to eHealth Use in Daily Practice: Perspectives of Patients and Professionals in Dermatology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariens, Lieneke Fm; Schussler-Raymakers, Florine Ml; Frima, Cynthia; Flinterman, Annebeth; Hamminga, Eefje; Arents, Bernd Wm; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla Afm; de Bruin-Weller, Marjolein S; van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke

2017-09-05

The number of eHealth interventions in the management of chronic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD) is growing. Despite promising results, the implementation and use of these interventions is limited. This study aimed to assess opinions of the most important stakeholders influencing the implementation and use of eHealth services in daily dermatology practice. The perspectives of health care professionals and patients towards the implementation and use of eHealth services in daily practice were assessed by using a mixed method design. A cross-sectional survey based on the eHealth implementation toolkit (eHit) was conducted to explore factors influencing the adoption of eHealth interventions offering the possibility of e-consultations, Web-based monitoring, and Web-based self-management training among dermatologists and dermatology nurses. The perspectives of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) regarding the use of eHealth services were discussed in an online focus group. Health care professionals (n=99) and patients (n=9) acknowledged the value of eHealth services and were willing to use these digital tools in daily dermatology practice. Key identified barriers (statements with eHealth interventions included concerns about the availability (12/99, 12%) and allocation (14/99, 14%) of resources, financial aspects (26/99, 26%), reliability, security, and confidentially of the intervention itself (29/99, 29%), and the lack of education and training (6/99, 6%). Health care professionals and patients acknowledge the benefits arising from the implementation and use of eHealth services in daily dermatology practice. However, some important barriers were identified that might be useful in addressing the implementation strategy in order to enhance the implementation success of eHealth interventions in dermatology. ©Lieneke FM Ariens, Florine ML Schussler-Raymakers, Cynthia Frima, Annebeth Flinterman, Eefje Hamminga, Bernd WM Arents, Carla AFM Bruijnzeel

Health professionals' views on health literacy issues for culturally and linguistically diverse women in maternity care: barriers, enablers and the need for an integrated approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughson, Jo-Anne; Marshall, Fiona; Daly, Justin Oliver; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Hajek, John; Story, David

2018-02-01

? This paper provides clinician and language service staff perspectives on key health literacy issues that are both patient-based and provider-based. This research confirms that the complex interplay of social and practical factors contributes to and perpetuates low health literacy, creating barriers to health access; it also highlights several enablers for increasing CALD health literacy and access. These include greater health practitioner awareness and accommodation of CALD women's needs and the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate eHealth resources. What are the implications for practitioners? eHealth resources are emerging as valuable enabling tools to address the health literacy and information needs of pregnant women. However, these resources need to be used adjunctively with health practitioner communication. Both resource developers and health practitioners need to understand issues affecting CALD patients and their needs. Developers need to consider how the resource addresses these needs. Training of health professionals about culture-specific issues may help to enhance communication with, and therefore health literacy among, individual cultural groups. Further, formalised language and interpreting training of bi- or multilingual health professionals is advised to ensure that they are able to interpret to a professional standard when called on to do so.

Expectations and needs of patients with a chronic disease toward self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Huygens, Martine W J; Vermeulen, Joan; Swinkels, Ilse C S; Friele, Roland D; van Schayck, Onno C P; de Witte, Luc P

2016-07-08

Self-management is considered as an essential component of chronic care by primary care professionals. eHealth is expected to play an important role in supporting patients in their self-management. For effective implementation of eHealth it is important to investigate patients' expectations and needs regarding self-management and eHealth. The objectives of this study are to investigate expectations and needs of people with a chronic condition regarding self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes, their willingness to use eHealth, and possible differences between patient groups regarding these topics. Five focus groups with people with diabetes (n = 14), COPD (n = 9), and a cardiovascular condition (n = 7) were conducted in this qualitative research. Separate focus groups were organized based on patients' chronic condition. The following themes were discussed: 1) the impact of the chronic disease on patients' daily life; 2) their opinions and needs regarding self-management; and 3) their expectations and needs regarding, and willingness to use, eHealth for self-management purposes. A conventional content analysis approach was used for coding. Patient groups seem to differ in expectations and needs regarding self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes. People with diabetes reported most needs and benefits regarding self-management and were most willing to use eHealth, followed by the COPD group. People with a cardiovascular condition mentioned having fewer needs for self-management support, because their disease had little impact on their life. In all patient groups it was reported that the patient, not the care professional, should choose whether or not to use eHealth. Moreover, participants reported that eHealth should not replace, but complement personal care. Many participants reported expecting feelings of anxiety by doing measurement themselves and uncertainty about follow-up of deviant data of measurements. In addition

The actual challenges of financial literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitchell Jan W.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In our always-evolving world, financial literacy and inclusion are crucial in the development of sustainable welfare and a more transparent and fairer society. We cannot forget that the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 that has continued across the world to this day has financial illiteracy as one of the most aggravating factors. The main challenge for many consumers worldwide is that the requirements of adequate financial literacy skills have been steadily increasing over time. Individuals have to take a wide range of financial decisions and unfortunately, they sometimes overlook or simply do not know the risk attached with the decisions they are making until it is too late. The main challenges for financial literacy at the micro-level, meso-level, and macro-level are over deference to the financial industry, lack of financial knowledge, overconfidence about financial knowledge, lack of government initiatives, frameworks and regulations, lack of life-cycle planning and interesting and fascinating ways to teach financial literacy skills.

eHealth in cardiovascular medicine: A clinical update.

Science.gov (United States)

Saner, Hugo; van der Velde, Enno

2016-10-01

Demographic changes, progress in medicine technology and regional problems in providing healthcare to low density populations are posing great challenges to our healthcare systems. Rapid progress in computer sciences and information technologies have a great impact on the way healthcare will be delivered in the near future. This article describes opportunities and challenges of eHealth and telemedicine in the framework of our health systems and, in particular, in the context of today's cardiology services. The most promising applications of eHealth and telemedicine include: (a) prevention and lifestyle interventions; (b) chronic disease management including hypertension, diabetes and heart failure; (c) arrhythmia detection including early detection of atrial fibrillation and telemonitoring of devices such as pacemaker, internal cardioverter defibrillators and implantable rhythm monitoring devices; (d) telerehabilitation. Major obstacles to the integration of eHealth and telemedicine into daily clinical practice include limited large-scale evidence, in particular, for cost-effectiveness, as well as lack of interoperability, inadequate or fragmented legal frameworks and lack of reimbursement. An important challenge for those involved in these new technologies will be to keep the main focus on patient's individual needs and to carefully evaluate the evidence behind the practice. © The European Society of Cardiology 2016.

Development of Knowledge Profiles for International eHealth eLearning Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, Juliane; Sauermann, Stefan; Mense, Alexander; Forjan, Mathias; Urbauer, Philipp

2015-01-01

Professionals working in the multidisciplinary field of eHealth vary in their educational background. However, knowledge in the areas of medicine, engineering and management is required to fulfil the tasks associated with eHealth sufficiently. Based on the results of an analysis of national and international educational offers a survey gathering user requirements for the development of knowledge profiles in eHealth was conducted (n=75) by professionals and students. During a workshop the first results were presented and discussed together with the network partners and the attendees. The resulting knowledge profiles contain knowledge areas of all three thematic content categories including fundamentals of medical terminology, standards and interoperability and usability as well as basics of all three content categories. The knowledge profiles are currently applied in a master's degree programme at the UAS Technikum Wien and will be developed further.

A Review of Interoperability Standards in E-health and Imperatives for their Adoption in Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Funmi Adebesin

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The ability of healthcare information systems to share and exchange information (interoperate is essential to facilitate the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services. Although standardization is considered key to addressing the fragmentation currently challenging the healthcare environment, e-health standardization can be difficult for many reasons, one of which is making sense of the e-health interoperability standards landscape. Specifically aimed at the African health informatics community, this paper aims to provide an overview of e-health interoperability and the significance of standardization in its achievement. We conducted a literature study of e-health standards, their development, and the degree of participation by African countries in the process. We also provide a review of a selection of prominent e-health interoperability standards that have been widely adopted especially by developed countries, look at some of the factors that affect their adoption in Africa, and provide an overview of ongoing global initiatives to address the identified barriers. Although the paper is specifically aimed at the African community, its findings would be equally applicable to many other developing countries.

An empowerment-based approach to developing innovative e-health tools for self-management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alpay, L.; Boog, P. van der; Dumaij, A.

2011-01-01

E-health is seen as an important technological tool in achieving self-management; however, there is little evidence of how effective e-health is for self-management. Example tools remain experimental and there is limited knowledge yet about the design, use, and effects of this class of tools. By way

Tribes and tribulations: interdisciplinary eHealth in providing services for people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, M; Brunner, M; Poon, S; Lam, M; Tran, V; Yu, D; Togher, L; Shaw, T; Power, E

2017-11-21

eHealth has potential for supporting interdisciplinary care in contemporary traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation practice, yet little is known about whether this potential is being realised, or what needs to be done to further support its implementation. The purpose of this study was to explore health professionals' experiences of, and attitudes towards eHealth technologies to support interdisciplinary practice within rehabilitation for people after TBI. A qualitative study using narrative analysis was conducted. One individual interview and three focus groups were conducted with health professionals (n = 17) working in TBI rehabilitation in public and private healthcare settings across regional and metropolitan New South Wales, Australia. Narrative analysis revealed that participants held largely favourable views about eHealth and its potential to support interdisciplinary practice in TBI rehabilitation. However, participants encountered various issues related to (a) the design of, and access to electronic medical records, (b) technology, (c) eHealth implementation, and (d) information and communication technology processes that disconnected them from the work they needed to accomplish. In response, health professionals attempted to make the most of unsatisfactory eHealth systems and processes, but were still mostly unsuccessful in optimising the quality, efficiency, and client-centredness of their work. Attention to sources of disconnection experienced by health professionals, specifically design of, and access to electronic health records, eHealth resourcing, and policies and procedures related to eHealth and interdisciplinary practice are required if the potential of eHealth for supporting interdisciplinary practice is to be realised.

Constructive eHealth evaluation: lessons from evaluation of EHR development in 4 Danish hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Høstgaard, Anna Marie Balling; Bertelsen, Pernille; Nøhr, Christian

2017-04-20

Information and communication sources in the healthcare sector are replaced with new eHealth technologies. This has led to problems arising from the lack of awareness of the importance of end-user involvement in eHealth development and of the difficulties caused by using traditional summative evaluation methods. The Constructive eHealth evaluation method (CeHEM) provides a solution to these problems by offering an evaluation framework for supporting and facilitating end-user involvement during all phases of eHealth development. The aim of this paper is to support this process by sharing experiences of the eHealth evaluation method used in the introduction of electronic health records (EHR) in the North Denmark Region of Denmark. It is the first time the fully developed method and the experiences on using the CeHEM in all five phases of a full lifecycle framework is presented. A case study evaluation of the EHR development process in the North Denmark Region was conducted from 2004 to 2010. The population consisted of clinicians, IT professionals, administrators, and vendors. The study involved 4 hospitals in the region. Data were collected using questionnaires, observations, interviews, and insight gathered from relevant documents. The evaluation showed a need for a) Early involvement of clinicians, b) The best possible representation of clinicians, and c) Workload reduction for those involved. The consequences of not providing this were a lack of ownership of decisions and negative attitudes towards the clinical benefits related to these decisions. Further, the result disclosed that by following the above recommendations, and by providing feedback to the 4 actor groups, the physicians' involvement was improved. As a result they took ownership of decisions and gained a positive attitude to the clinical benefits. The CeHEM has proven successful in formative evaluation of EHR development and can point at important issues that need to be taken care of by management

Comparison of Brief Summary Formats Through a Health Literacy Lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Michele L; Hall, Lori; Eleftherion, Anthony; Simpson, Katherine; Neuhauser, Linda

2018-01-01

Print pharmaceutical advertisements in the United States require inclusion of a brief summary of side effects, warnings, precautions, and contraindications from the labeling. The full package insert, which sponsors have traditionally used to fulfill the brief summary requirement, does not adhere to health literacy best practices, limiting its value to consumers. This study compared the understandability and usability of brief summaries in 3 formats designed to be more consumer friendly. Three brief summary formats were tested: (1) 2-column "Question and Answer"; (2) "Prescription Drug Facts Box," similar to current US over-the-counter drug facts labeling; and (3) "Health Literacy," based on clear communication principles. Researchers evaluated the formats using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) tool and conducted structured, scripted, one-on-one interviews (usability tests) with participants with estimated low to average education levels. This research was replicated across 2 therapeutic areas (type 2 diabetes and plaque psoriasis). SAM scores showed that the Health Literacy format outperformed the Question and Answer format and the Prescription Drug Facts Box format in both therapeutic areas, with both Health Literacy brief summaries rated on the SAM as "superior." Qualitative usability tests supported the SAM findings, with the Health Literacy format preferred consistently over the Question and Answer format, and more often than not over the Prescription Drug Facts Box format. Sponsors can employ a user-tested Health Literacy format to improve the understandability and usability of brief summaries with patients.

E-HEALTH CLOUD FOR NIGERIAN TEACHING HOSPITALS

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

massive data storage and availability of resources on demand. With well over ... this issue by proposing a Cloud computing infrastructure for e-Health solutions in Nigeria. This will ... security and privacy as each application has its own virtual.

eHealth as the Next-Generation Perinatal Care: An Overview of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heuvel, Josephus Fm; Groenhof, T Katrien; Veerbeek, Jan Hw; van Solinge, Wouter W; Lely, A Titia; Franx, Arie; Bekker, Mireille N

2018-06-05

Unrestricted by time and place, electronic health (eHealth) provides solutions for patient empowerment and value-based health care. Women in the reproductive age are particularly frequent users of internet, social media, and smartphone apps. Therefore, the pregnant patient seems to be a prime candidate for eHealth-supported health care with telemedicine for fetal and maternal conditions. This study aims to review the current literature on eHealth developments in pregnancy to assess this new generation of perinatal care. We conducted a systematic literature search of studies on eHealth technology in perinatal care in PubMed and EMBASE in June 2017. Studies reporting the use of eHealth during prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care were included. Given the heterogeneity in study methods, used technologies, and outcome measurements, results were analyzed and presented in a narrative overview of the literature. The literature search provided 71 studies of interest. These studies were categorized in 6 domains: information and eHealth use, lifestyle (gestational weight gain, exercise, and smoking cessation), gestational diabetes, mental health, low- and middle-income countries, and telemonitoring and teleconsulting. Most studies in gestational diabetes and mental health show that eHealth applications are good alternatives to standard practice. Examples are interactive blood glucose management with remote care using smartphones, telephone screening for postnatal depression, and Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy. Apps and exercise programs show a direction toward less gestational weight gain, increase in step count, and increase in smoking abstinence. Multiple studies describe novel systems to enable home fetal monitoring with cardiotocography and uterine activity. However, only few studies assess outcomes in terms of fetal monitoring safety and efficacy in high-risk pregnancy. Patients and clinicians report good overall satisfaction with new strategies that enable

Innovation routes and evidence guidelines for eHealth small and medium-sized enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lianne Bodenstaff; Ruud Janssen; Robbert Menko; Irene Krediet; Hilco Prins; Timber Haaker; Sikke Visser; Marike Hettinga

2013-01-01

eHealth applications hold many promises, for instance to improve the quality of health care, to increase its accessibility, or to reduce its cost. Yet, many eHealth innovations never reach the stage where they get embedded into routine health care. This is due in part to a lack of evidence that

[The efficacy of e-health management on weight control in adolescents: a systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Mei-Chen; Lin, Chia-Ling; Tsao, Lee-Ing

2014-02-01

Advances during the past decade have made it feasible to apply e-health methods to chronic disease management. Researchers have recently begun applying these methods to weight control. The application of e-health management methods to weight control in adolescents has yet to be investigated empirically. This study conducted a systematic review of reports discussing the weight-control effects of e-health management in adolescents. Researchers searched 6 electronic databases for relevant articles published between 1995 and April 2013. Data were collected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. A modified Jadad Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the identified articles. Seven studies met the inclusion criterion of targeting adolescent subject populations. A total of 3728 adolescents and 1394 parents participated in these studies. The majority of participants were overweight girls and median participant ages ranged from 12.52 (SD = 3.15) to 15.31 (SD = 0.69). All studies reported that e-health management reduced body mass index and body fat percentage. Four studies indicate that e-health management may improve physical activity knowledge and skills. However, diet control outcomes among the seven studies varied. Empirical results demonstrate that e-health management significantly affects weight control. However, the effectiveness of log-in versus primary outcome indicators was inconclusive. Future studies should consider the use of incentives, reminder systems, and other strategies to enhance website usage. The development of an Internet-based, computer-tailored weight-management intervention for overweight adolescents and the development of an appropriate care model are recommended.

Energy literacy, awareness, and conservation behavior of residential households

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brounen, Dirk; Kok, Nils; Quigley, John M.

2013-01-01

The residential sector accounts for one-fifth of global energy consumption, resulting from the requirements to heat, cool, and light residential dwellings. It is therefore not surprising that energy efficiency in the residential market has gained importance in recent years. In this paper, we examine awareness, literacy and behavior of households with respect to their residential energy expenditures. Using a detailed survey of 1721 Dutch households, we measure the extent to which consumers are aware of their energy consumption and whether they have taken measures to reduce their energy costs. Our results show that “energy literacy” and awareness among respondents is low: just 56% of the respondents are aware of their monthly charges for energy consumption, and 40% do not appropriately evaluate investment decisions in energy efficient equipment. We document that demographics and consumer attitudes towards energy conservation, but not energy literacy and awareness, have direct effects on behavior regarding heating and cooling of the home. The impact of a moderating factor, measured by thermostat settings, ultimately results in strong variation in the energy consumption of private consumers. - Highlights: • We use a detailed survey of 1,721 Dutch households to measure awareness and conservation behavior in energy consumption. • Energy literacy and awareness among residential households is low. • 40 percent of the sample does not appropriately evaluate investment decisions in energy efficient equipment • Demographics and consumer attitudes affect behavior regarding heating and cooling of a home

Interoperable and standard e-Health solution over Bluetooth.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, I; Del Valle, P; Munoz, P; Trigo, J D; Escayola, J; Martínez-Espronceda, M; Muñoz, A; Serrano, L; Garcia, J

2010-01-01

The new paradigm of e-Health demands open sensors and middleware components that permit transparent integration and end-to-end interoperability of new personal health devices. The use of standards seems to be the internationally adopted way to solve these problems. This paper presents the implementation of an end-to-end standards-based e-Health solution. This includes ISO/IEEE11073 standard for the interoperability of the medical devices in the patient environment and EN13606 standard for the interoperable exchange of the Electronic Healthcare Record. The design strictly fulfills all the technical features of the most recent versions of both standards. The implemented prototype has been tested in a laboratory environment to demonstrate its feasibility for its further transfer to the healthcare system.

Telecommunications as a means to access health information: an exploratory study of migrants in australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenstock, Louise; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Fraser, Catriona; Bingham, Amie; Naccarella, Lucio; Elliott, Kristine; Morris, Michal

2012-12-28

Health policies increasingly promote e-health developments (e.g., consumers' access to online health information) to engage patients in their health care. In order to make these developments available for culturally and socially diverse communities, not only do Internet accessibility, literacy and e-health literacy need to be taken into account, but consumers' preferences and information seeking behaviours for accessing health information have also to be understood. These considerations are crucial when designing major new health policy directions, especially for migration destination countries with culturally diverse populations, such as Australia. The aim of this study was to examine how people from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community use telecommunications (phone, mobile, Internet) to access health information. A case study was conducted using a questionnaire exploring the use of telecommunications to access health information among CALD people. The study was carried out at a community health centre in a socially and economically disadvantaged area of Melbourne, a city of 4 million people with a large CALD and migrant population. Questionnaires were translated into three languages and interpreters were provided. Fifty-nine questionnaires were completed by users of the community health centre. Most of the CALD participants did not have access to the Internet at home and very few reported using telecommunications to access health information. The findings of the study suggest that telecommunications are not necessarily perceived to be an important channel for accessing health information by members of the CALD community.

Developing e-Health Information by Empowerment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallesen, Bodil; Engberg, Axel; Barlach, Anders

2006-01-01

This innovative study relates patient empowerment to strategies for education and e-health information to support self-care to patients with knee surgery in a Danish university hospital outpatient clinic. Interdisciplinary teamwork and Information and Communication Technology are integral parts...

Partnering with consumers to develop and evaluate a Vietnamese Dementia Talking-Book to support low health literacy: a qualitative study incorporating codesign and participatory action research

Science.gov (United States)

Goeman, Dianne; Michael, J; King, J; Luu, Huy; Emmanuel, Claire; Koch, S

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of the Vietnamese Dementia talking-book was to address low health literacy in older people of Vietnamese background living with dementia through the provision of an online resource to help individuals, their families and carers better understand and manage this condition and provide information about available dementia services. Design This qualitative study used codesign and participatory action research to develop and refine the talking-book in consultation with expert stakeholders, a consumer advocacy group and the Vietnamese community to assess its utility and ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness and relevance. Participants 59 members of the Vietnamese community, 11 stakeholders from community health services and ethnic agencies, consumer advocacy groups and the research team participated in the codesign and refinement of the talking-book. 22 members of the Vietnamese community appraised the final product. Setting Vietnamese community planned activity groups in the Western, Northern and Southern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Results Our codesign study outlines the process required to develop a Vietnamese Dementia Talking-Book resource partnering with consumers and expert stakeholders to identify consumer need, selection of the content and appropriate language level, construction of the book, measuring acceptability of the talking-book, modification based on feedback and production and dissemination. Feedback on the final version of the talking-book revealed widespread consensus that the book enhanced the knowledge of members of the Vietnamese community in regard to understanding dementia and navigation and accessing of available services. Conclusions This free internationally available online Vietnamese Dementia Talking-Book facilitates improved dementia-related health literacy in the Vietnamese community. The book also serves as a tool to facilitate the provision of care to Vietnamese people living with memory loss by assisting

Integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system in smart home environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantas, Georgios; Lymberopoulos, Dimitrios; Komninos, Nikos

2009-01-01

During the past few years, a lot of effort has been invested in research and development of eHealth tele-monitoring systems that will provide many benefits for healthcare delivery from the healthcare provider to the patient's home. However, there is a plethora of security requirements in eHealth tele-monitoring systems. Data integrity of the transferred medical data is one of the most important security requirements that should be satisfied in these systems, since medical information is extremely sensitive information, and even sometimes life threatening information. In this paper, we present a data integrity mechanism for eHealth tele-monitoring system that operates in a smart home environment. Agent technology is applied to achieve data integrity with the use of cryptographic smart cards. Furthermore, the overall security infrastructure and its various components are described.

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR TOWARDS ONLINE SHOPPING

OpenAIRE

Lakshmi. S

2016-01-01

With the increasing internet literacy, the prospect of online marketing is increasing. There are millions of people online any time and they all are a potential consumer in the online market. Since there are so many providers, the most important thing for organizations is to understand what are consumer wants and needs in this competitive business environment. Customer buying behaviors are influenced by different factors such as culture, social class, references group relation, family, salary...

Predicting continuance-findings from a longitudinal study of older adults using an eHealth newsletter.

Science.gov (United States)

Forquer, Heather A; Christensen, John L; Tan, Andy S L

2014-01-01

While eHealth technologies are promisingly efficient and widespread, theoretical frameworks capable of predicting long-term use, termed continuance, are lacking. Attempts to extend prominent information technology (IT) theories to the area of eHealth have been limited by small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, self-reported as opposed to actual use measures, and a focus on technology adoption rather than continuance. To address these gaps in the literature, this analysis includes empirical evidence of actual use of an eHealth technology over the course of one year. This large (n = 4,570) longitudinal study focuses on older adults, a population with many health needs and among whom eHealth use may be particularly important. With three measurement points over the course of a year, this study examined the effects of utilitarian and hedonic beliefs on the continued use of an eHealth newsletter using constructs from IT adoption and continuance theories. Additional analyses compared the relative strength of intentions compared to earlier use in predicting later use. Usage intention was strongly predicted by both hedonic beliefs and utilitarian beliefs. In addition, utilitarian beliefs had both direct effects on intention and indirect effects, mediated by hedonic beliefs. While intention predicted subsequent use, earlier use was a significantly stronger predictor of use than intention. These findings make a theoretical contribution to an emerging literature by shedding light on the complex interplay of reasoned action and automaticity in the context of eHealth continuance.

Demands and Needs for Psycho-Oncological eHealth Interventions in Women With Cancer: Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringwald, Johanna; Marwedel, Lennart; Junne, Florian; Ziser, Katrin; Schäffeler, Norbert; Gerstner, Lena; Wallwiener, Markus; Brucker, Sara Yvonne; Hautzinger, Martin; Zipfel, Stephan; Teufel, Martin

2017-11-24

Over the last decade, a growing body of studies regarding the application of eHealth and various digital interventions has been published and are widely used in the psycho-oncological care. However, the effectiveness of eHealth applications in psycho-oncological care is still questioned due to missing considerations regarding evidence-based studies on the demands and needs in cancer-affected patients. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the cancer-affected women's needs and wishes for psycho-oncological content topics in eHealth applications and whether women with cancer differ in their content topics and eHealth preferences regarding their experienced psychological burden. Patients were recruited via an electronic online survey through social media, special patient Internet platforms, and patient networks (both inpatients and outpatients, University Hospital Tuebingen, Germany). Participant demographics, preferences for eHealth and psycho-oncological content topics, and their experienced psychological burden of distress, quality of life, and need for psychosocial support were evaluated. Of the 1172 patients who responded, 716 were included in the study. The highest preference for psycho-oncological content topics reached anxiety, ability to cope, quality of life, depressive feelings, and adjustment toward a new life situation. eHealth applications such as Web-based applications, websites, blogs, info email, and consultation hotline were considered to be suitable to convey these content topics. Psychological burden did not influence the preference rates according to psycho-oncological content and eHealth applications. Psycho-oncological eHealth applications may be very beneficial for women with cancer, especially when they address psycho-oncological content topics like anxiety, ability to cope, depressive feelings, self-esteem, or adjustment to a new life situation. The findings of this study indicate that psycho-oncological eHealth applications are a

Health Insurance Literacy: How People Understand and Make Health Insurance Purchase Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Vardell, Emily Johanna

2017-01-01

The concept of health insurance literacy, which can be defined as "the extent to which consumers can make informed purchase and use decisions" (Kim, Braun, & Williams, 2013, p. 3), has only recently become a focus of health literacy research. Though employees have been making health insurance decisions for many years, the Affordable…

eHealth Intervention for Problematic Internet Use (PIU).

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Lawrence T; Lam, Mary K

2016-12-01

Excessive use of the Internet is considered a problematic behaviour by clinicians and researchers. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been advocated for a long time as a treatment approach and has been extended to include family therapy in the recent years. As eTherapy (eHealth) has become an important component in the treatment of many mental health problems, it is prudent to explore the current status of the eHealth approach as an intervention option for this problem. This systematic review aims to examine the current development of online intervention programmes for this particular condition. The PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analysis were employed to conduct the search for literature following a systematic and structured approach. Of the 182 articles screened, three satisfied the selection criteria. Information was extracted and analysed systematically for each study and tabulated. All these studies were pilot studies with small sample sizes. Two of these articles aimed to explore the therapeutic efficacy of newly developed online intervention programmes for Internet addiction (IA) and online gaming addiction. The third article described the design and development of an App for smartphone addiction. The results obtained from this review have provided insight into the on-going development of eHealth interventions as well as the health informatics approaches in offering a possible and practical solution to tackle this growing problem.

Searching for a Role of Nursing Personnel in Developing Landscape of Ehealth: Factors Determining Attitudes toward Key Patient Empowering Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Duplaga, Mariusz

2016-01-01

Nurses may play an important role in the delivery of medical services based on the use of ehealth tools. Nevertheless, their taking an active role in an ehealth environment depends on their possessing the appropriate skills and mindset. The main objective of this paper was to assess nurses' opinions and to analyze the predictors of their acceptance of ehealth features relevant to patient empowerment with a strong focus on chronic care. A survey was conducted among nurses from hospital centers of south-eastern Poland based on a questionnaire designed to assess their attitudes toward the ehealth domain. The predictors of the nurses' acceptance of ehealth usage within specific contexts were assessed with uni- and multivariate logistic regression. An analysis was performed on data from 648 questionnaires retained after a quality check. The duration of Internet use was consistently related to higher acceptance of ehealth applications and more certainty regarding the reliability of health-related information available on the Internet. Nurses from urban medical centers were more skeptical about the use of specific ehealth solutions. Previous experience in using information technologies is the main factor influencing the acceptance of specific ehealth solutions relevant for care provided to patients suffering from chronic conditions.

E-health use in african american internet users: can new tools address old disparities?

Science.gov (United States)

Chisolm, Deena J; Sarkar, Madhurima

2015-03-01

Web-based health information may be of particular value among the African American population due to its potential to reduce communication inequalities and empower minority groups. This study explores predictors of e-health behaviors and activities for African American Internet users. We used the 2010 Pew Internet and American Life Health Tracking Survey to examine sociodemographic and health status predictors of e-health use behaviors among African Americans. E-health use behaviors included searching for e-health information, conducting interactive health-related activities, and tracking health information online. In the African American subsample, 55% (n=395) were at least "occasional" Internet users. Our model suggests that searching for health information online was positively associated with being helped/knowing someone helped by online information (odds ratio [OR]=5.169) and negatively associated with lower income (OR=0.312). Interactive health activities were associated with having a college education (OR=3.264), being 65 years of age or older (OR=0.188), having a family member living with chronic conditions (OR=2.191), having a recent medical crisis (OR=2.863), and being helped/knowing someone helped by online information (OR=8.335). E-tracking behaviors were significantly stronger among African Americans who had health insurance (OR=3.907), were helped/knowing someone helped by online information (OR=4.931), and were social media users (OR=4.799). Findings suggest significant differences in e-health information-seeking behaviors among African American Internet users-these differences are mostly related to personal and family health concerns and experiences. Targeted online e-health resources and interventions can educate and empower a significant subset of the population.

How a Fully Automated eHealth Program Simulates Three Therapeutic Processes: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Holter, Marianne T S; Johansen, Ayna; Brendryen, Håvar

2016-06-28

eHealth programs may be better understood by breaking down the components of one particular program and discussing its potential for interactivity and tailoring in regard to concepts from face-to-face counseling. In the search for the efficacious elements within eHealth programs, it is important to understand how a program using lapse management may simultaneously support working alliance, internalization of motivation, and behavior maintenance. These processes have been applied to fully automated eHealth programs individually. However, given their significance in face-to-face counseling, it may be important to simulate the processes simultaneously in interactive, tailored programs. We propose a theoretical model for how fully automated behavior change eHealth programs may be more effective by simulating a therapist's support of a working alliance, internalization of motivation, and managing lapses. We show how the model is derived from theory and its application to Endre, a fully automated smoking cessation program that engages the user in several "counseling sessions" about quitting. A descriptive case study based on tools from the intervention mapping protocol shows how each therapeutic process is simulated. The program supports the user's working alliance through alliance factors, the nonembodied relational agent Endre and computerized motivational interviewing. Computerized motivational interviewing also supports internalized motivation to quit, whereas a lapse management component responds to lapses. The description operationalizes working alliance, internalization of motivation, and managing lapses, in terms of eHealth support of smoking cessation. A program may simulate working alliance, internalization of motivation, and lapse management through interactivity and individual tailoring, potentially making fully automated eHealth behavior change programs more effective.

Adapted User-Centered Design: A Strategy for the Higher User Acceptance of Innovative e-Health Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dejan Dinevski

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Being familiar with all the benefits of e-Health and the strategic plan for the Slovenian health sector’s informatization, Telekom Slovenia and the Faculty of Medicine from the University of Maribor, along with other partners, have initiated an e-Health project. The project group is developing various e-Health services that are based on modern ICT (information and communications technology solutions and will be available on several screens. In order to meet the users’ needs and expectations and, consequently, achieve the high acceptance of e-Health services, the user-centered design (UCD approach was employed in the e-Health project. However, during the research it was found that conventional UCD methods are not completely appropriate for older adults: the target population of the e-Health services. That is why the selected UCD methods were modified and adapted for older adults. The modified UCD methods used in the research study are presented in this paper. Using the results of the adapted UCD methods, a prototype for a service named MedReminder was developed. The prototype was evaluated by a group of 12 study participants. The study participants evaluated the MedReminder service as acceptable with a good potential for a high adoption rate among its target population, i.e., older adults.

Boosting Financial Literacy in America: A Role for State Colleges and Universities. Perspectives

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Harnisch, Thomas L.

2010-01-01

Given the overarching ramifications that financial literacy plays in the modern economy, this paper contends that a renewed emphasis on financial literacy is central to individual, family and communal economic security. New responsibilities and opportunities given to consumers, such as retirement planning, have increased the need for more…

Multinational surveys for monitoring eHealth policy implementations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilstad, Heidi; Faxvaag, Arild; Hyppönen, Hannele

2014-01-01

Development of multinational variables for monitoring eHealth policy implementations is a complex task and requires multidisciplinary, knowledgebased international collaboration. Experts in an interdisciplinary workshop identified useful data and pitfalls for comparative variable development...

Development of a virtual lab for practical eLearning in eHealth.

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, Juliane; Forjan, Mathias; Sauermann, Stefan; Mense, Alexander; Urbauer, Philipp

2015-01-01

In recent years an ongoing development in educational offers for professionals working in the field of eHealth has been observed. This education is increasingly offered in the form of eLearning courses. Furthermore, it can be seen that simulations are a valuable part to support the knowledge transfer. Based on the knowledge profiles defined for eHealth courses a virtual lab should be developed. For this purpose, a subset of skills and a use case is determined. After searching and evaluating appropriate simulating and testing tools six tools were chosen to implement the use case practically. Within an UML use case diagram the interaction between the tools and the user is represented. Initially tests have shown good results of the tools' feasibility. After an extensive testing phase the tools should be integrated in the eHealth eLearning courses.

Human-centred methods in the design of an e-health solution for patients undergoing weight loss treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Das, Anita; Svanæs, Dag

2013-01-01

Background and objective Patients undergoing weight loss treatment require follow-up as part of the treatment process. E-health solutions may be used for this purpose. We have used an iterative design approach to develop a patient-centred e-health solution for patients undergoing weight loss...... in the design process. Our findings imply that involving stakeholders separately during specific human-centred activities is important in order to capture subtle, but critical aspects of the users’ requirements. Conclusion Applying human-centred methods in the design of e-health solutions requires...... that designers must take particular considerations when patients and healthcare professionals are involved in the design process. Keywords E-health; Participatory design; User-centred design; Obesity; Weight loss treatment...

Risks related to the use of eHealth technologies - an exploratory study

OpenAIRE

Ossebaard, Hans Cornelis; de Bruijn, Adrie; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Geertsma, R.E.

2013-01-01

More awareness is needed about the risks of e-Health technology. While information regarding its potential is abundant, the risks associated with the use of information (including mobile) and communication technology in health care have scarcely been addressed. In order to implement e-Health technology successfully and safely, the evaluation of their benefits should be integrated into and complemented with systematic risk assessment. This is the main recommendation resulting from an explorato...

eHealth services and Directive on Electronic Commerce 2000/31/EC.

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Van Gyseghem, Jean-Marc

2008-01-01

We often restrict the analysis of eHealth services to a concept of privacy. In this article, we'll demonstrate that other legislation can apply to those services as Directive 2000/31/EC on Ecommerce. By creating telematic networks or infrastructure, eHealth services are offering information services. But what are the consequences with such concept? What are the duties and rights for the actors of the network(s)? We'll try to answer to some questions, even if it won't be exhaustive.

Cyber-Management of People with Chronic Disease: A Potential Solution to eHealth Challenges

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Laakso, E-Liisa; Armstrong, Kylie; Usher, Wayne

2012-01-01

The evolving eHealth agenda presents a range of potential opportunities for the management and prevention of chronic disease. This paper identifies issues and barriers to the uptake of eHealth and describes a strategy ("Healthy Outcomes for Australians"[C]-HOFA) for creating a central knowledge filter and cyber space method for tracking…

Impact of Patient-centered eHealth Applications on Patient Outcomes: A Review on the Mediating Influence of Human Factor Issues.

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Wildenbos, G A; Peute, L W; Jaspers, M W M

2016-11-10

To examine the evidence of the impact of patient- centered eHealth applications on patient care and to analyze if and how reported human factor issues mediated the outcomes. We searched PubMed (2014-2015) for studies evaluating the impact of patient-centered eHealth applications on patient care (behavior change, self-efficacy, and patient health-related outcomes). The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS 2.0) model was used as a guidance framework to identify the reported human factors possibly impacting the effectiveness of an eHealth intervention. Of the 348 potentially relevant papers, 10 papers were included for data analysis. None of the 10 papers reported a negative impact of the eHealth intervention. Seven papers involved a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study. Six of these RCTs reported a positive impact of the eHealth intervention on patient care. All 10 papers reported on human factor issues possibly mediating effects of patient-centered eHealth. Human factors involved patient characteristics, perceived social support, and (type of) interaction between patient and provider. While the amount of patient-centered eHealth interventions increases, many questions remain as to whether and to what extent human factors mediate their use and impact. Future research should adopt a formal theory-driven approach towards human factors when investigating those factors' influence on the effectiveness of these interventions. Insights could then be used to better tailor the content and design of eHealth solutions according to patient user profiles, so as to enhance eHealth interventions impact on patient behavior, self-efficacy, and health-related outcomes.

Lightweighted and energy-aware MIKEY-Ticket for e-health applications in the context of internet of things

OpenAIRE

Abdmeziem , Mohammed Riyadh; Tandjaoui , Djamel; Romdhani , Imed

2017-01-01

E-health applications have emerged as a promising approach to provide unobtrusive and customizable support to elderly and frail people based on their situation and circumstances. However, due to limited resources available in such systems and data privacy concerns, security issues constitute a major obstacle to their safe deployment. To secure e-health communications, key management protocols play a vital role in the security process. Nevertheless, current e-health systems are unable to run e...

Self-managed eHealth Disease Monitoring in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Carlsen, Katrine; Jakobsen, Christian; Houen, Gunnar; Kallemose, Thomas; Paerregaard, Anders; Riis, Lene B; Munkholm, Pia; Wewer, Vibeke

2017-03-01

To evaluate the impact of eHealth on disease activity, the need for hospital contacts, and medical adherence in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Furthermore, to assess eHealth's influence on school attendance and quality of life (QoL). Patients with IBD, 10 to 17 years attending a public university hospital, were prospectively randomized to a 2-year open label case-controlled eHealth intervention. The eHealth-group used the web-application young.constant-care.com (YCC) on a monthly basis and in case of flare-ups, and were seen at one annual preplanned outpatient visit. The control-group continued standard visits every third month. Every 3 months, both groups had blood and fecal calprotectin tested and the following were assessed: escalation in medication, disease activity, hospital contacts, medical adherence, school absence, and QoL. Fifty-three patients in nonbiological treatment were included (27 eHealth/26 control). We found no differences between the groups regarding escalation in treatment and disease activity (symptoms, fecal calprotectin, and blood). The number of total outpatient visits (mean: eHealth 3.26, SEM 0.51; control 7.31, SEM 0.69; P eHealth 1.6, SEM 0.5; control 16.5, SEM 4.4; P eHealth-group. No differences in medical adherence and QoL were found. Adherence to YCC was 81% (384 of the 475 expected entries). None of the patients or parents felt unsafe using the eHealth system. The use of eHealth in children and adolescents with IBD is feasible, does not lead to impaired disease control, and can be managed by the patients without risk of increased disease activity.

Costs and difficulties of recruiting patients to provide e-health support: pilot study in one primary care trust.

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Jones, Ray B; O'Connor, Anita; Brelsford, Jade; Parsons, Neil; Skirton, Heather

2012-03-29

Better use of e-health services by patients could improve outcomes and reduce costs but there are concerns about inequalities of access. Previous research in outpatients suggested that anonymous personal email support may help patients with long term conditions to use e-health, but recruiting earlier in their 'journey' may benefit patients more. This pilot study explored the feasibility and cost of recruiting patients for an e-health intervention in one primary care trust. The sample comprised 46 practices with total patient population of 250,000. We approached all practices using various methods, seeking collaboration to recruit patients via methods agreed with each practice. A detailed research diary was kept of time spent recruiting practices and patients. Researcher time was used to estimate costs. Patients who consented to participate were offered email support for their use of the Internet for health. Eighteen practices agreed to take part; we recruited 27 patients, most (23/27) from five practices. Practices agreed to recruit patients for an e-health intervention via waiting room leaflets (16), posters (16), practice nurses (15), doctors giving patients leaflets (5), a study website link (7), inclusion in planned mailshots (2), and a special mailshot to patients selected from practice computers (1). After low recruitment response we also recruited directly in five practices through research assistants giving leaflets to patients in waiting rooms. Ten practices recruited no patients. Those practices that were more difficult to recruit were less likely to recruit patients. Leaving leaflets for practice staff to distribute and placing posters in the practice were not effective in recruiting patients. Leaflets handed out by practice nurses and website links were more successful. The practice with lowest costs per patient recruited (£70) used a special mailshot to selected patients. Recruitment via general practice was not successful and was therefore expensive

The WHO-ITU national eHealth strategy toolkit as an effective approach to national strategy development and implementation.

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Hamilton, Clayton

2013-01-01

With few exceptions, national eHealth strategies are the pivotal tools upon which the launch or refocusing of national eHealth programmes is hinged. The process of their development obviates cross-sector ministerial commitment led by the Ministry of Health. Yet countries often grapple with the task of strategy development and best efforts frequently fail to address strategic components of eHealth key to ensure successful implementation and stakeholder engagement. This can result in strategies that are narrowly focused, with an overemphasis placed on achieving technical outcomes. Without a clear link to a broader vision of health system development and a firm commitment from partners, the ability of a strategy to shape development of a national eHealth framework will be undermined and crucial momentum for implementation will be lost. WHO and ITU have sought to address this issue through the development of the National eHealth Strategy Toolkit that provides a basis for the components and processes to be considered in a strategy development or refocusing exercise. We look at this toolkit and highlight those areas which the countries should consider in formulating their national eHealth strategy.

Special topic interoperability and EHR: Combining openEHR, SNOMED, IHE, and continua as approaches to interoperability on national ehealth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bestek, M.; Stanimirovi, D.

2017-01-01

into the eHealth environment, and identification of the main success factors in the field, which are necessary for achieving required interoperability, and consequently, for the successful implementation of eHealth projects in general. Methods: The paper represents an in-depth analysis regarding...... the potential application of openEHR, SNOMED, IHE and Continua approaches in the development and implementation process of eHealth in Slovenia. The research method used is both exploratory and deductive in nature. The methodological framework is grounded on information retrieval with a special focus on research...... could alleviate the pertinent interoperability issues in the Slovenian eHealth context. 2. Analyzing the possibilities (requirements) for their inclusion in the construction process for individual eHealth solutions. 3. Identification and charting the main success factors in the interoperability field...

The divided communities of shared concerns: mapping the intellectual structure of e-Health research in social science journals.

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Jiang, L Crystal; Wang, Zhen-Zhen; Peng, Tai-Quan; Zhu, Jonathan J H

2015-01-01

Social scientific approach has become an important approach in e-Health studies over the past decade. However, there has been little systematical examination of what aspects of e-Health social scientists have studied and how relevant and informative knowledge has been produced and diffused by this line of inquiry. This study performed a systematic review of the body of e-Health literature in mainstream social science journals over the past decade by testing the applicability of a 5A categorization (i.e., access, availability, appropriateness, acceptability, and applicability), proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as a framework for understanding social scientific research in e-Health. This study used a quantitative, bottom-up approach to review the e-Health literature in social sciences published from 2000 to 2009. A total of 3005 e-Health studies identified from two social sciences databases (i.e., Social Sciences Citation Index and Arts & Humanities Citation Index) were analyzed with text topic modeling and structural analysis of co-word network, co-citation network, and scientific food web. There have been dramatic increases in the scale of e-Health studies in social sciences over the past decade in terms of the numbers of publications, journal outlets and participating disciplines. The results empirically confirm the presence of the 5A clusters in e-Health research, with the cluster of applicability as the dominant research area and the cluster of availability as the major knowledge producer for other clusters. The network analysis also reveals that the five distinctive clusters share much more in common in research concerns than what e-Health scholars appear to recognize. It is time to explicate and, more importantly, tap into the shared concerns cutting across the seemingly divided scholarly communities. In particular, more synergy exercises are needed to promote adherence of the field. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

Guidelines for eHealth and social media in sexual health promotion for young ethnic minorities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kulyk, Olga Anatoliyivna; den Daas, C.; Boom, C.; David, S.; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Recently a rapid growth of modern technologies addressing sexuality and health has taken place. Young ethnic minorities could especially benefit from these eHealth initiatives, but they have to meet their specific needs. Sexual health is a sensitive subject in many cultures and eHealth

Can eHealth tools enable health organizations to reach their target audience?

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Zbib, Ahmad; Hodgson, Corinne; Calderwood, Sarah

2011-01-01

Data from the health risk assessment operated by the Heart and Stroke Foundation found users were more likely to be female; married; have completed post secondary education; and report hypertension, stroke, or being overweight or obese. In developing and operating eHealth tools for health promotion, organizations should compare users to their target population(s). eHealth tools may not be optimal for reaching some higher-risk sub-groups, and a range of social marketing approaches may be required.

eHealth effectiveness : does scientific literature provide evidence of the effectiveness of eHealth and what does that mean?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schurer, Margreet; Velthuijsen, Hugo

Although the scientific literature consists of over 10,000 papers on eHealth, remarkably few applications are consistently being used in the healthcare domain. Numerous reasons for this lack of progression have been noted, one of these being the objection of medical professionals to the introduction

Individualized Infliximab Treatment Guided by Patient-managed eHealth in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsen, Katrine; Houen, Gunnar; Jakobsen, Christian; Kallemose, Thomas; Paerregaard, Anders; Riis, Lene B; Munkholm, Pia; Wewer, Vibeke

2017-09-01

To individualize timing of infliximab (IFX) treatment in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using a patient-managed eHealth program. Patients with IBD, 10 to 17 years old, treated with IFX were prospectively included. Starting 4 weeks after their last infusion, patients reported a weekly symptom score and provided a stool sample for fecal calprotectin analysis. Based on symptom scores and fecal calprotectin results, the eHealth program calculated a total inflammation burden score that determined the timing of the next IFX infusion (4-12 wk after the previous infusion). Quality of Life was scored by IMPACT III. A control group was included to compare trough levels of IFX antibodies and concentrations and treatment intervals. Patients and their parents evaluated the eHealth program. There were 29 patients with IBD in the eHealth group and 21 patients with IBD in the control group. During the control period, 94 infusions were provided in the eHealth group (mean interval 9.5 wk; SD 2.3) versus 105 infusions in the control group (mean interval 6.9 wk; SD 1.4). Treatment intervals were longer in the eHealth group (P eHealth-individualized timing of IFX treatments, with treatment intervals of 4 to 12 weeks, was accompanied by no significant development of IFX antibodies. Patients reported better control and improved knowledge of their IBD.

Align, share responsibility and collaborate: potential considerations to aid in e-health policy development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragaban, Nouran; Day, Karen; Orr, Martin

2012-01-01

Policies that support strategic development and implementation are related to health ICT implementation successes. This research aimed to explore the question, 'Why have we not seen more successful ICT implementation in healthcare, and what does policy have to do with success?' Healthcare systems are faced with rising costs, increased prevalence of chronic diseases and diminishing resources. E-health initiatives have gained acceptance in addressing these crucial health sector issues. National governments and healthcare organisations are finding it necessary to have health Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems in place. However, poorly developed health information policies, lack of a clear business plan and ineffective leadership contribute to failure of ICT implementation in healthcare. This study uses a Grounded Theory approach, in which a series of data gathering activities will be completed. The first author attended the Health Information Management & Systems Society (HIMSS) Policy Summit in the USA in 2011. Five Summit participants were approached individually and informally discussed the 'meaningful use' policy and how it influences ICT implementation in healthcare. Field notes were made and analysed for themes relating to the research question. There were three overlapping concepts that all of the participants indicated as primary considerations for policymakers. The alignment aspect stresses the need to align e-health initiatives with overall health policy, ensuring that e-health is incorporated with other healthcare investments. The shared responsibility theme involves the need for e-health initiatives to be recognised as a priority along all levels of government, i.e. local, state, federal, and national. This stresses the importance of health ICT development and implementation in a joint government direction. The last theme is collaboration with stakeholders, including clear division of tasks and clarity about technical and non

Integration of eHealth Tools in the Process of Workplace Health Promotion: Proposal for Design and Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Background Electronic health (eHealth) and mobile health (mHealth) tools can support and improve the whole process of workplace health promotion (WHP) projects. However, several challenges and opportunities have to be considered while integrating these tools in WHP projects. Currently, a large number of eHealth tools are developed for changing health behavior, but these tools can support the whole WHP process, including group administration, information flow, assessment, intervention development process, or evaluation. Objective To support a successful implementation of eHealth tools in the whole WHP processes, we introduce a concept of WHP (life cycle model of WHP) with 7 steps and present critical and success factors for the implementation of eHealth tools in each step. Methods We developed a life cycle model of WHP based on the World Health Organization (WHO) model of healthy workplace continual improvement process. We suggest adaptations to the WHO model to demonstrate the large number of possibilities to implement eHealth tools in WHP as well as possible critical points in the implementation process. Results eHealth tools can enhance the efficiency of WHP in each of the 7 steps of the presented life cycle model of WHP. Specifically, eHealth tools can support by offering easier administration, providing an information and communication platform, supporting assessments, presenting and discussing assessment results in a dashboard, and offering interventions to change individual health behavior. Important success factors include the possibility to give automatic feedback about health parameters, create incentive systems, or bring together a large number of health experts in one place. Critical factors such as data security, anonymity, or lack of management involvement have to be addressed carefully to prevent nonparticipation and dropouts. Conclusions Using eHealth tools can support WHP, but clear regulations for the usage and implementation of these tools at the

Critical Incidents of Growth in Nordic eHealth Service Start-Ups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martti Saarela

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Digitalisation can revolutionise healthcare delivery and provide new business opportunities for innovative start-ups. Start-up businesses in the healthcare service sector are a promising source of new employment and innovations. The start-up stage is the most critical period for the survival of a business, as decisions made during the early stages have a definitive influence on success. This study seeks to clarify the early development of eHealth service start-ups. To summarise the research problem, the authors ask the following question: What are the critical incidents related to the early development of eHealth service start-ups? The units of analysis in this study are 14 Nordic eHealth service start-ups located in Sweden and Finland. The Critical Incident Technique (CIT and semi-structured interviews were applied for data collection. The results are of interest to the public sector, which plays an essential role in healthcare as a service producer, but also as a creator of the business conditions of and opportunities for small businesses.

The potential of eHealth in otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery: patients' perspectives.

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Holderried, Martin; Ernst, C; Holderried, F; Rieger, M; Blumenstock, G; Tropitzsch, A

2017-07-01

The use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in daily life has significantly increased during the last several years. These essential online technologies have also found their way into the healthcare system. The use of modern ICT for health reasons can be summarized by the term 'eHealth'. Despite the potential importance of eHealth in the field of otorhinolaryngology (ORL), there is little understanding of patients' attitudes towards the deeper integration of these technologies into intersectoral care. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of patients' attitudes towards the use of modern ICT for intersectoral communication and information transfer in the field of ORL. Therefore, a structured interview was developed by an interdisciplinary team of otorhinolaryngologists, public health researchers, and information technology (IT) specialists. Overall, 211 ORL patients were interviewed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tuebingen University Hospital, Germany, and 203 of these patients completed the interview. This study revealed ORL patients' perspectives on the potential of eHealth, especially for appointment scheduling, appointment reminders, and intersectoral communication of personal medical information. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that data security and the impacts of eHealth on the physician-patient relationship and on treatment quality warrant special attention in future research.

Secure and Efficient Two-Factor User Authentication Scheme with User Anonymity for Network Based E-Health Care Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiong; Niu, Jianwei; Karuppiah, Marimuthu; Kumari, Saru; Wu, Fan

2016-12-01

Benefited from the development of network and communication technologies, E-health care systems and telemedicine have got the fast development. By using the E-health care systems, patient can enjoy the remote medical service provided by the medical server. Medical data are important privacy information for patient, so it is an important issue to ensure the secure of transmitted medical data through public network. Authentication scheme can thwart unauthorized users from accessing services via insecure network environments, so user authentication with privacy protection is an important mechanism for the security of E-health care systems. Recently, based on three factors (password, biometric and smart card), an user authentication scheme for E-health care systems was been proposed by Amin et al., and they claimed that their scheme can withstand most of common attacks. Unfortunate, we find that their scheme cannot achieve the untraceability feature of the patient. Besides, their scheme lacks a password check mechanism such that it is inefficient to find the unauthorized login by the mistake of input a wrong password. Due to the same reason, their scheme is vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) attack if the patient updates the password mistakenly by using a wrong password. In order improve the security level of authentication scheme for E-health care application, a robust user authentication scheme with privacy protection is proposed for E-health care systems. Then, security prove of our scheme are analysed. Security and performance analyses show that our scheme is more powerful and secure for E-health care systems when compared with other related schemes.

The impact of eHealth on the quality and safety of health care: a systematic overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Ashly D; Car, Josip; Pagliari, Claudia; Anandan, Chantelle; Cresswell, Kathrin; Bokun, Tomislav; McKinstry, Brian; Procter, Rob; Majeed, Azeem; Sheikh, Aziz

2011-01-18

There is considerable international interest in exploiting the potential of digital solutions to enhance the quality and safety of health care. Implementations of transformative eHealth technologies are underway globally, often at very considerable cost. In order to assess the impact of eHealth solutions on the quality and safety of health care, and to inform policy decisions on eHealth deployments, we undertook a systematic review of systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness and consequences of various eHealth technologies on the quality and safety of care. We developed novel search strategies, conceptual maps of health care quality, safety, and eHealth interventions, and then systematically identified, scrutinised, and synthesised the systematic review literature. Major biomedical databases were searched to identify systematic reviews published between 1997 and 2010. Related theoretical, methodological, and technical material was also reviewed. We identified 53 systematic reviews that focused on assessing the impact of eHealth interventions on the quality and/or safety of health care and 55 supplementary systematic reviews providing relevant supportive information. This systematic review literature was found to be generally of substandard quality with regards to methodology, reporting, and utility. We thematically categorised eHealth technologies into three main areas: (1) storing, managing, and transmission of data; (2) clinical decision support; and (3) facilitating care from a distance. We found that despite support from policymakers, there was relatively little empirical evidence to substantiate many of the claims made in relation to these technologies. Whether the success of those relatively few solutions identified to improve quality and safety would continue if these were deployed beyond the contexts in which they were originally developed, has yet to be established. Importantly, best practice guidelines in effective development and deployment

The impact of eHealth on the quality and safety of health care: a systematic overview.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashly D Black

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: There is considerable international interest in exploiting the potential of digital solutions to enhance the quality and safety of health care. Implementations of transformative eHealth technologies are underway globally, often at very considerable cost. In order to assess the impact of eHealth solutions on the quality and safety of health care, and to inform policy decisions on eHealth deployments, we undertook a systematic review of systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness and consequences of various eHealth technologies on the quality and safety of care. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We developed novel search strategies, conceptual maps of health care quality, safety, and eHealth interventions, and then systematically identified, scrutinised, and synthesised the systematic review literature. Major biomedical databases were searched to identify systematic reviews published between 1997 and 2010. Related theoretical, methodological, and technical material was also reviewed. We identified 53 systematic reviews that focused on assessing the impact of eHealth interventions on the quality and/or safety of health care and 55 supplementary systematic reviews providing relevant supportive information. This systematic review literature was found to be generally of substandard quality with regards to methodology, reporting, and utility. We thematically categorised eHealth technologies into three main areas: (1 storing, managing, and transmission of data; (2 clinical decision support; and (3 facilitating care from a distance. We found that despite support from policymakers, there was relatively little empirical evidence to substantiate many of the claims made in relation to these technologies. Whether the success of those relatively few solutions identified to improve quality and safety would continue if these were deployed beyond the contexts in which they were originally developed, has yet to be established. Importantly, best practice

The Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument is a Valid and Reliable Measure of Nutrition Literacy in Adults with Chronic Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, Heather D; Ellerbeck, Edward F; Gajewski, Byron; Zhang, Chuanwu; Sullivan, Debra K

2018-03-01

To test the reliability and validity of the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLit) in adult primary care and identify the relationship between nutrition literacy and diet quality. This instrument validation study included a cross-sectional sample participating in up to 2 visits 1 month apart. A total of 429 adults with nutrition-related chronic disease were recruited from clinics and a patient registry affiliated with a Midwestern university medical center. Nutrition literacy was measured by the NLit, which was composed of 6 subscales: nutrition and health, energy sources in food, food label and numeracy, household food measurement, food groups, and consumer skills. Diet quality was measured by Healthy Eating Index-2010 with nutrient data from Diet History Questionnaire II surveys. The researchers measured factor validity and reliability by using binary confirmatory factor analysis; test-retest reliability was measured by Pearson r and the intraclass correlation coefficient, and relationships between nutrition literacy and diet quality were analyzed by linear regression. The NLit demonstrated substantial factor validity and reliability (0.97; confidence interval, 0.96-0.98) and test-retest reliability (0.88; confidence interval, 0.85-0.90). Nutrition literacy was the most significant predictor of diet quality (β = .17; multivariate coefficient = 0.10; P measuring nutrition literacy in adult primary care patients. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of eHealth to promote physical activity in cancer survivors: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Haberlin, Ciarán; O'Dwyer, Tom; Mockler, David; Moran, Jonathan; O'Donnell, Dearbhaile M; Broderick, Julie

2018-06-16

Achieving adequate levels of physical activity (PA) and avoiding sedentary behaviour are particularly important in cancer survivors. eHealth, which includes, but is not limited to, the delivery of health information through Internet and mobile technologies, is an emerging concept in healthcare which may present opportunities to improve PA in cancer survivors. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the effects of eHealth in the promotion of PA among cancer survivors. Suitable articles were searched using PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsychInfo, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases using a combination of keywords and medical subject headings. Articles were included if they described an eHealth intervention designed to improve PA in cancer survivors. Two reviewers screened studies for inclusion. In total, 1065 articles were considered. Ten studies met eligibility criteria. A variety of platforms designed to increase PA were described in these studies: web application (app) (n = 5), web and mobile application (n = 2), mobile app (n = 1), website only (n = 1), e-mail based (n = 1). All studies measured PA using self-report outcome measures with the exception of one study which measured steps using a Fitbit. Meta-analysis was not performed because of variations in study design and interventions. All studies reported improvements in PA, with 8/10 studies reporting statistically significant changes. The use of eHealth to promote PA in cancer survivors is a relatively new concept, which is supported by the recent emergent evidence described in this review. eHealth shows promise as a means of promoting and increasing daily PA, but further high-quality, longer term studies are needed to establish the feasibility and effectiveness of eHealth platforms aimed at that goal.

Individualized Infliximab Treatment Guided by Patient-managed eHealth in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, Katrine; Houen, Gunnar; Jakobsen, Christian

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: To individualize timing of infliximab (IFX) treatment in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using a patient-managed eHealth program. METHODS: Patients with IBD, 10 to 17 years old, treated with IFX were prospectively included. Starting 4 weeks after...... their last infusion, patients reported a weekly symptom score and provided a stool sample for fecal calprotectin analysis. Based on symptom scores and fecal calprotectin results, the eHealth program calculated a total inflammation burden score that determined the timing of the next IFX infusion (4-12 wk...... after the previous infusion). Quality of Life was scored by IMPACT III. A control group was included to compare trough levels of IFX antibodies and concentrations and treatment intervals. Patients and their parents evaluated the eHealth program. RESULTS: There were 29 patients with IBD in the eHealth...

Reporting an Experience on Design and Implementation of e-Health Systems on Azure Cloud

OpenAIRE

Lu, Shilin; Ranjan, Rajiv; Strazdins, Peter

2013-01-01

Electronic Health (e-Health) technology has brought the world with significant transformation from traditional paper-based medical practice to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based systems for automatic management (storage, processing, and archiving) of information. Traditionally e-Health systems have been designed to operate within stovepipes on dedicated networks, physical computers, and locally managed software platforms that make it susceptible to many serious limitations...

Knowledge and attitudes of doctors towards e-health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olok, Geoffrey Tabo; Yagos, Walter Onen; Ovuga, Emilio

2015-11-04

E-health is an essential information sharing tool in healthcare management and delivery worldwide. However, utilization of e-health may only be possible if healthcare professionals have positive attitudes towards e-health. This study aimed to determine the relationships between healthcare professionals' attitudes towards e-health, level of ICT skills and e-Health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in northern Uganda. Cross-sectional survey design was used. Sixty-eight medical doctors in three government hospitals and four private hospitals in Northern Uganda participated in the study. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Data was analysed using SPSS software Version 19. Out of the 68 respondents, 39 (57.4 %) reported access to computer and 29 (48.5 %) accessed Internet in the workplace. Majority of healthcare professionals had positive attitudes towards e-health attributes (mean 3.5). The level of skills was moderate (mean 3.66), and was the most important and significant predictor of ICT use among healthcare professionals (r = .522, p < .001); however, attitudes towards e-health attributes did not contribute significantly in predicting e-health use. The findings suggest need for hospitals managements to strengthen e-health services in healthcare delivery in Northern Uganda.

Intensifying Innovation Adoption in Educational eHealth

Science.gov (United States)

Rissanen, M. K.

2014-01-01

In demanding innovation areas such as eHealth, the primary emphasis is easily placed on the product and process quality aspects in the design phase. Customer quality may receive adequate attention when the target audience is well-defined. But if the multidimensional evaluative focus does not get enough space until the implementation phase, this…

Financial Literacy of Freshmen Business School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rosacker, Kirsten M.; Ragothaman, Srini; Gillispie, Michael

2009-01-01

In recent years, financial literacy has increasingly captured the attention of the banking and financial industries, policy makers, government agencies, public interest groups, and members of the news media. These interested parties are concerned that consumers lack the basic skills required to make decisions beneficial to their economic welfare.…

eHealth interventions for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchesson, M J; Rollo, M E; Krukowski, R; Ells, L; Harvey, J; Morgan, P J; Callister, R; Plotnikoff, R; Collins, C E

2015-05-01

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Eight databases were searched for studies published in English from 1995 to 17 September 2014. Eighty-four studies were included, with 183 intervention arms, of which 76% (n = 139) included an eHealth component. Sixty-one studies had the primary aim of weight loss, 10 weight loss maintenance, eight weight gain prevention, and five weight loss and maintenance. eHealth interventions were predominantly delivered using the Internet, but also email, text messages, monitoring devices, mobile applications, computer programs, podcasts and personal digital assistants. Forty percent (n = 55) of interventions used more than one type of technology, and 43.2% (n = 60) were delivered solely using eHealth technologies. Meta-analyses demonstrated significantly greater weight loss (kg) in eHealth weight loss interventions compared with control (MD -2.70 [-3.33,-2.08], P eHealth weight loss interventions with extra components or technologies (MD 1.46 [0.80, 2.13], P eHealth programmes. The findings support the use of eHealth interventions as a treatment option for obesity, but there is insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for weight loss maintenance or weight gain prevention. © 2015 World Obesity.

The Promise and Challenge of eHealth Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, Nancy L.; Gold, Robert S.

2002-01-01

Discusses how health education researchers can use the Internet to both intervene in health behavior and evaluate the effects of interventions (eHealth), describing the potential of computer technology for behavior interventions via message tailoring, intervention tailoring, simulations, games, and online communities, and noting implementation…

A generic quality assurance model (GQAM) for successful e-health implementation in rural hospitals in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ruxwana, N

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Although e-health can potentially facilitate the management of scarce resources and improve the quality of healthcare services, implementation of e-health programs continues to fail or not fulfi l expectations. A key contributor to the failure of e...

Implementing successful e-health implementations within developing countries

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ouma, S

2009-08-01

Full Text Available ), hospital staff members (n=31) and patients (n=24). Therefore a total of (n=60), participated in the study. The findings revealed that just like in the majority of the developing nations, there are very few computers and e-health solutions that are currently...

Sustainable implementation of e-health enabled interdisciplinary collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keijser, Wouter Alexander; Smits, Jacco Gerardus Wilhelmus Leonardus; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste P.M.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Integrated care can prosper from e-health solutions that hold a vast potential for increasing effective information sharing and communication: collaboration. This is in particular the case in the care for elder persons: a growing population often in need of a variety of care, health

What Does Financial Literacy Training Teach Us?

Science.gov (United States)

Carlin, Bruce Ian; Robinson, David T.

2012-01-01

The authors use data from a finance-related theme park to explore how financial education changes investment, financing, and consumer behavior. Students were assigned fictitious life situations and asked to create household budgets. Some students received a 19-hour financial literacy curriculum before going to the park, and some did not. After…

Statistical Literacy in the Data Science Workplace

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Robert

2017-01-01

Statistical literacy, the ability to understand and make use of statistical information including methods, has particular relevance in the age of data science, when complex analyses are undertaken by teams from diverse backgrounds. Not only is it essential to communicate to the consumers of information but also within the team. Writing from the…

Implementation of safety driving system using e-health and telematics technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Youngbum; Lee, Myoungho

2008-08-01

This research aimed to develop a safety driving system using e-health and telematics technology. Biosignal sensors were installed in an automobile to check the driver's health status with an automatic diagnosis system providing health information to the driver. Measured data were sent to the e-health center through a telematics device, and a medical doctor analyzed these data, sending diagnosis and prescription information to the driver. This system recognizes the driver's sleeping, drinking impairment, excitability, and fatigue using biosensors. The system initially provides alerts in the automobile. It also controls the driving environment in the car, searches for a highway service area using Global Positioning System (GPS), and provides additional information for safety driving. If a car accident has occurred, it makes an emergency call to the nearest hospital, emergency center, and insurance company. A conceptual and prototype model for an imbedded system is presented with initial data for driver condition. Such a system could prevent car accidents caused by drivers driving while intoxicated and falling asleep at the wheel using the driver's biosignals measured by biosensors. The system can provide various e-health services using a telematics system to enhance the technical compatibility of the automobile.

e-Health Tools for Targeting and Improving Melanoma Screening: A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyagi, A.; Miller, K.; Cockburn, M.

2012-01-01

The key to improved prognosis for melanoma is early detection and diagnosis, achieved by skin surveillance and secondary prevention (screening). However, adherence to screening guidelines is low, with population-based estimates of approximately 26% for physician-based skin cancer screening and 20-25% for skin self-examination. The recent proliferation of melanoma detection "e-Health"tools, digital resources that facilitate screening in patients often outside of the clinical setting, may offer new strategies to promote adherence and expand the proportion and range of individuals performing skin self-examination. The purpose of this paper is to catalog and categorize melanoma screening e-Health tools to aid in the determination of their efficacy and potential for adoption. The availability and accessibility of such tools, their costs, target audience, and, where possible, information on their efficacy, will be discussed with potential benefits and limitations considered. While e-Health tools targeting melanoma screening are widely available, little has been done to formally evaluate their efficacy and ability to aid in overcoming screening barriers. Future research needs to formally evaluate the potential role of e-Health tools in melanoma prevention.

Patient-Centered e-Health Record over the Cloud.

Science.gov (United States)

Koumaditis, Konstantinos; Themistocleous, Marinos; Vassilacopoulos, George; Prentza, Andrianna; Kyriazis, Dimosthenis; Malamateniou, Flora; Maglaveras, Nicos; Chouvarda, Ioanna; Mourouzis, Alexandros

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Patient-Centered e-Health (PCEH) conceptual aspects alongside a multidisciplinary project that combines state-of-the-art technologies like cloud computing. The project, by combining several aspects of PCEH, such as: (a) electronic Personal Healthcare Record (e-PHR), (b) homecare telemedicine technologies, (c) e-prescribing, e-referral, e-learning, with advanced technologies like cloud computing and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), will lead to an innovative integrated e-health platform of many benefits to the society, the economy, the industry, and the research community. To achieve this, a consortium of experts, both from industry (two companies, one hospital and one healthcare organization) and academia (three universities), was set to investigate, analyse, design, build and test the new platform. This paper provides insights to the PCEH concept and to the current stage of the project. In doing so, we aim at increasing the awareness of this important endeavor and sharing the lessons learned so far throughout our work.

How to Measure Costs and Benefits of eHealth Interventions: An Overview of Methods and Frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmo, Trine Strand

2015-11-09

Information on the costs and benefits of eHealth interventions is needed, not only to document value for money and to support decision making in the field, but also to form the basis for developing business models and to facilitate payment systems to support large-scale services. In the absence of solid evidence of its effects, key decision makers may doubt the effectiveness, which, in turn, limits investment in, and the long-term integration of, eHealth services. However, it is not realistic to conduct economic evaluations of all eHealth applications and services in all situations, so we need to be able to generalize from those we do conduct. This implies that we have to select the most appropriate methodology and data collection strategy in order to increase the transferability across evaluations. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of how to apply economic evaluation methodology in the eHealth field. It provides a brief overview of basic health economics principles and frameworks and discusses some methodological issues and challenges in conducting cost-effectiveness analysis of eHealth interventions. Issues regarding the identification, measurement, and valuation of costs and benefits are outlined. Furthermore, this work describes the established techniques of combining costs and benefits, presents the decision rules for identifying the preferred option, and outlines approaches to data collection strategies. Issues related to transferability and complexity are also discussed.

eHealth and the use of individually tailored information: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, Nicholas; Webster, Clare; Smith, Blair; Wake, Deborah

2017-09-01

Tailored messages are those that specifically target individuals following an assessment of their unique characteristics. This systematic review assesses the evidence regarding the effectiveness of tailoring within eHealth interventions aimed at chronic disease management. OVID Medline/Embase databases were searched for randomised control trials, controlled clinical, trials, before -after studies, and time series analyses from inception - May 2014. Objectively measured clinical processes/outcomes were considered. Twenty-two papers were eligible for inclusion: 6/22 used fully tailored messaging and 16/22 used partially tailored messages. Two studies isolated tailoring as the active component. The remainder compared intervention with standard care. In all, 12/16 studies measuring clinical processes and 2/6 studies reporting clinical outcomes showed improvements, regardless of target group. Study quality was low and design did not allow for identification of interventions' active component. Heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. This review has demonstrated that there is a lack of evidence to suggest that tailoring within an eHealth context confers benefit over non-tailored eHealth interventions.

e-Health Cloud: Opportunities and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jameela Al-Jaroodi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available As the costs of healthcare services rise and healthcare professionals are becoming scarce and hard to find, it is imminent that healthcare organizations consider adopting health information technology (HIT systems. HIT allows health organizations to streamline many of their processes and provide services in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. The latest technological trends such as Cloud Computing (CC provide a strong infrastructure and offer a true enabler for HIT services over the Internet. This can be achieved on a pay-as-you-use model of the “e-Health Cloud” to help the healthcare industry cope with current and future demands yet keeping their costs to a minimum. Despite its great potential, HIT as a CC model has not been addressed extensively in the literature. There are no apparent frameworks which clearly encompass all viable schemes and interrelationships between HIT and CC. Therefore, analyzing and comparing the effectiveness of such schemes is important. In this paper we introduce the concept of “e-Health Cloud” highlighting many of its constituents and proposing building an e-health environment and elucidating many of the challenges confronting the success of the e-Health Cloud. We will also discuss different possible solutions to address challenges such as security and privacy.

E-health interventions for suicide prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Helen; Batterham, Philip J; O'Dea, Bridianne

2014-08-12

Many people at risk of suicide do not seek help before an attempt, and do not remain connected to health services following an attempt. E-health interventions are now being considered as a means to identify at-risk individuals, offer self-help through web interventions or to deliver proactive interventions in response to individuals' posts on social media. In this article, we examine research studies which focus on these three aspects of suicide and the internet: the use of online screening for suicide, the effectiveness of e-health interventions aimed to manage suicidal thoughts, and newer studies which aim to proactively intervene when individuals at risk of suicide are identified by their social media postings. We conclude that online screening may have a role, although there is a need for additional robust controlled research to establish whether suicide screening can effectively reduce suicide-related outcomes, and in what settings online screening might be most effective. The effectiveness of Internet interventions may be increased if these interventions are designed to specifically target suicidal thoughts, rather than associated conditions such as depression. The evidence for the use of intervention practices using social media is possible, although validity, feasibility and implementation remains highly uncertain.

Effects of simplifying outreach materials for energy conservation programs that target low-income consumers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong-Parodi, Gabrielle; Bruine de Bruin, Wändi; Canfield, Casey

2013-01-01

Critics have speculated that the limited success of energy conservation programs among low-income consumers may partly be due to recipients having insufficient literacy to understand the outreach materials. Indeed, we found outreach materials for low-income consumers to require relatively high levels of reading comprehension. We therefore improved the Flesch–Kincaid readability statistics for two outreach brochures, by using shorter words and shorter sentences to describe their content. We examined the effect of that simplification on low-income consumers′ responses. Participants from low-income communities in the greater Pittsburgh area, who varied in literacy, were randomly assigned to either original communications about energy conservation programs or our simplified versions. Our findings suggest that lowering readability statistics successfully simplified only the more straightforward brochure in our set of two, likely because its content lent itself better to simplification. Findings for this brochure showed that simplification improved understanding of its content among both low-literacy and high-literacy recipients, without adversely affecting their evaluation of the materials, or their intention to enroll in the advertised programs. We discuss strategies for improving communication materials that aim to reach out to low-income populations. - Highlights: • Brochures about energy programs for low-income consumers can be too hard to read. • We made brochures easier to read by using shorter words and shorter sentences. • Simplifying a straightforward brochure improved the understanding of all recipients. • However, simplifying a complex brochure had no effect on understanding. • We suggest strategies for improving outreach to low-income consumers

Effects of eHealth physical activity encouragement in adolescents with complex congenital heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klausen, Susanne Hwiid; Andersen, Lars L; Søndergaard, Lars

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess benefit and harms of adding an eHealth intervention to health education and individual counseling in adolescents with congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Denmark. PATIENTS: A total of 158 adolescents aged 13-16years with no physical activity...... restrictions after repaired complex congenital heart disease. INTERVENTIONS: PReVaiL consisted of individually tailored eHealth encouragement physical activity for 52weeks. All patients received 45min of group-based health education and 15min of individual counseling involving patients' parents. OUTCOMES......·kg(-1)·min(-1) (95% CI -2.66 to 1.36). Between-group differences at 1year in physical activity, generic health-related quality of life, and disease-specific quality of life were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Adding a tailored eHealth intervention to health education and individual...

Home e-health system integration in the Smart Home through a common media server.

Science.gov (United States)

Pau, I; Seoane, F; Lindecrantz, K; Valero, M A; Carracedo, J

2009-01-01

Home e-health systems and services are revealed as one of the most important challenges to promote Quality of Life related to Health in the Information Society. Leading companies have worked on e-health systems although the majority of them are addressed to hospital or primary care settings. The solution detailed in this paper offers a personal health system to be integrated with Smart Home services platform to support home based e-care. Thus, the home e-health system and architecture detailed in this research work is ready to supply a seamless personal care solution both from the biomedical data analysis, service provision, security guarantee and information management s point of view. The solution is ready to be integrated within the Accessible Digital Home, a living lab managed by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid for R&D activities.

E-health progresses in Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

Moisil, Ioana; Jitaru, Elena

2006-01-01

The paper is presenting the recent evolution of e-health aspects in Romania. Data presented are based on governmental reports. Surveys organized by the "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu and studies carried on by the national Institute for Research and Development in Informatics (I.C.I.) have shown that Romania has important health problems, from cardio vascular diseases (CVD) to cancer and infectious diseases, a high score on mortality and morbidity and a low one on natality. Poor management of the health sector did not help to solve all these problems. In the last 14 years there were several attempts to reform healthcare but none succeeded until now. The health insurance system is operational but needs still to be improved. Acknowledging the deep crisis of the health system the Prime Minister nominated a new minister of health and important changes in the health management approach are to be envisaged. One of this is the introduction of the e-procurement system for all health related goods. In spite of the crisis of the health system, e-health applications are flourishing. We can distinguish applications at national and local level and also punctual applications. The main applications refer to hospital information systems (HIS), electronic health records (EHR), e-procurement, image processing, diagnosis and treatment aids, telediagnosis, teleconsultation, education, research and domain oriented web support services. Most academic clinical hospital is now members of a web community "mednet". Unfortunately a lot of medical web sites have disappeared for lack of funds. As the health sector is in general funded from the public budget and the health crisis is deepened in the last years, the driving force in implementing e-health concepts and technologies is not the Ministry of Health but the Information Technology (IT) community, with a strong support from the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications and also from the Ministry of Education and Research

Development and Implementation of the DHAPP Military eHealth Information Network System.

Science.gov (United States)

Kratz, Mary; Thomas, Anne; Hora, Ricardo; Vera, Delphis; Lutz, Mickey; Johnson, Mark D

2017-01-01

As the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the Global Fund, and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief focus on reaching 90-90-90 goals, military health systems are scaling up to meet the data demands of these ambitious objectives. Since 2008, the US Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) has been working with military partners in 14 countries on implementation and adoption of a Military eHealth Information Network (MeHIN). Each country implementation plan followed a structured process using international eHealth standards. DHAPP worked with the private sector to develop a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic medical record (EMR) for the collection of data, including patient demographic information, clinical notes for general medical care, HIV encounters, voluntary medical male circumcision, and tuberculosis screening information. The COTS software approach provided a zero-dollar software license and focused on sharing a single version of the EMR across countries, so that all countries could benefit from software enhancements and new features over time. DHAPP also worked with the public sector to modify open source disease surveillance tools and open access of HIV training materials. Important lessons highlight challenges to eHealth implementation, including a paucity of technology infrastructure, military leadership rotations, and the need for basic computer skills building. While not simple, eHealth systems can be built and maintained with requisite security, flexibility, and reporting capabilities that provide critical information to improve the health of individuals and organizations. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Implementation factors and their effect on e-Health service adoption in rural communities : a systematic literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hage, M.L.; Roo, J.P.; van Offenbeek, M.A.G.; Boonstra, A.

2013-01-01

Background: An ageing population is seen as a threat to the quality of life and health in rural communities, and it is often assumed that e-Health services can address this issue. As successful e-Health implementation in organizations has proven difficult, this systematic literature review considers

Factors Determining the Success and Failure of eHealth Interventions: Systematic Review of the Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Wouter; Johansen, Monika Alise

2018-01-01

Background eHealth has an enormous potential to improve healthcare cost, effectiveness, and quality of care. However, there seems to be a gap between the foreseen benefits of research and clinical reality. Objective Our objective was to systematically review the factors influencing the outcome of eHealth interventions in terms of success and failure. Methods We searched the PubMed database for original peer-reviewed studies on implemented eHealth tools that reported on the factors for the success or failure, or both, of the intervention. We conducted the systematic review by following the patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome framework, with 2 of the authors independently reviewing the abstract and full text of the articles. We collected data using standardized forms that reflected the categorization model used in the qualitative analysis of the outcomes reported in the included articles. Results Among the 903 identified articles, a total of 221 studies complied with the inclusion criteria. The studies were heterogeneous by country, type of eHealth intervention, method of implementation, and reporting perspectives. The article frequency analysis did not show a significant discrepancy between the number of reports on failure (392/844, 46.5%) and on success (452/844, 53.6%). The qualitative analysis identified 27 categories that represented the factors for success or failure of eHealth interventions. A quantitative analysis of the results revealed the category quality of healthcare (n=55) as the most mentioned as contributing to the success of eHealth interventions, and the category costs (n=42) as the most mentioned as contributing to failure. For the category with the highest unique article frequency, workflow (n=51), we conducted a full-text review. The analysis of the 23 articles that met the inclusion criteria identified 6 barriers related to workflow: workload (n=12), role definition (n=7), undermining of face-to-face communication (n=6), workflow

Guidelines and Recommendations for Developing Interactive eHealth Apps for Complex Messaging in Health Promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Heffernan, Kayla Joanne; Chang, Shanton; Maclean, Skye Tamara; Callegari, Emma Teresa; Garland, Suzanne Marie; Reavley, Nicola Jane; Varigos, George Andrew; Wark, John Dennis

2016-02-09

The now ubiquitous catchphrase, "There's an app for that," rings true owing to the growing number of mobile phone apps. In excess of 97,000 eHealth apps are available in major app stores. Yet the effectiveness of these apps varies greatly. While a minority of apps are developed grounded in theory and in conjunction with health care experts, the vast majority are not. This is concerning given the Hippocratic notion of "do no harm." There is currently no unified formal theory for developing interactive eHealth apps, and development is especially difficult when complex messaging is required, such as in health promotion and prevention. This paper aims to provide insight into the creation of interactive eHealth apps for complex messaging, by leveraging the Safe-D case study, which involved complex messaging required to guide safe but sufficient UV exposure for vitamin D synthesis in users. We aim to create recommendations for developing interactive eHealth apps for complex messages based on the lessons learned during Safe-D app development. For this case study we developed an Apple and Android app, both named Safe-D, to safely improve vitamin D status in young women through encouraging safe ultraviolet radiation exposure. The app was developed through participatory action research involving medical and human computer interaction researchers, subject matter expert clinicians, external developers, and target users. The recommendations for development were created from analysis of the development process. By working with clinicians and implementing disparate design examples from the literature, we developed the Safe-D app. From this development process, recommendations for developing interactive eHealth apps for complex messaging were created: (1) involve a multidisciplinary team in the development process, (2) manage complex messages to engage users, and (3) design for interactivity (tailor recommendations, remove barriers to use, design for simplicity). This research has

Consumer and health literacy: The need to better design tobacco-cessation product packaging, labels, and inserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Stephanie M; Smith-Simone, Stephanie Y

2010-03-01

Tobacco-cessation product packaging and instruction materials may not be appropriate for some smokers and may contribute to the underuse and misuse of evidence-based treatments. The dual goals of this project are to analyze literacy levels of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved and non-approved tobacco-cessation product packaging, directions, and claims, and to identify and categorize claims found on product packaging. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) maintains the Quitting and Reducing Tobacco Use Inventory of Products (QuiTIP) database, which catalogs products marketed and sold to consumers to reduce or quit use of tobacco products. It also includes all medications approved by the FDA for tobacco cessation as well as a sample of non-approved products such as homeopathic, herbal, nutritional, or dietary supplements commonly marketed as either cessation aids or alternative tobacco/nicotine products. This paper assesses the reading levels required to understand product packaging, labeling, and instructions using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and identifies claims on the product package labels using standard qualitative methods. Key findings show that the average reading levels needed to understand instructions for both FDA-approved and non-approved cessation products are above the reading levels recommended to ensure maximum comprehension. Improving the packaging and directions of evidence-based tobacco-cessation products so that they are preferably at or below a fifth-grade reading level, along with using consumer-based design principles to develop packaging, may help smokers take advantage of and correctly use products that will greatly increase their chances of successful quitting. 2010 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ehealth interventions in somatic diseases: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbert, Niels J; van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke; van Renselaar, Wilco; Ekeland, Anne G; Hakkaart-van Roijen, Leona; Raat, Hein; Nijsten, Tamar E C; Pasmans, Suzanne G M A

2014-04-16

eHealth potentially enhances quality of care and may reduce health care costs. However, a review of systematic reviews published in 2010 concluded that high-quality evidence on the benefits of eHealth interventions was still lacking. We conducted a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effectiveness/cost-effectiveness of eHealth interventions in patients with somatic diseases to analyze whether, and to what possible extent, the outcome of recent research supports or differs from previous conclusions. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, and Scopus for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on eHealth interventions published between August 2009 and December 2012. Articles were screened for relevance based on preset inclusion and exclusion criteria. Citations of residual articles were screened for additional literature. Included papers were critically appraised using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement before data were extracted. Based on conclusions drawn by the authors of the included articles, reviews and meta-analyses were divided into 1 of 3 groups: suitable, promising, or limited evidence on effectiveness/cost-effectiveness. Cases of uncertainty were resolved by consensus discussion. Effect sizes were extracted from papers that included a meta-analysis. To compare our results with previous findings, a trend analysis was performed. Our literature searches yielded 31 eligible reviews, of which 20 (65%) reported on costs. Seven papers (23%) concluded that eHealth is effective/cost-effective, 13 (42%) underlined that evidence is promising, and others found limited or inconsistent proof. Methodological quality of the included reviews and meta-analyses was generally considered high. Trend analysis showed a considerable accumulation of literature on eHealth. However, a similar percentage of papers concluded that eHealth is effective/cost-effective or

e-health in eating disorders: Virtual Reality and telemedicine in assessment and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Riva, Giuseppe; Bacchetta, Monica; Cesa, Gianluca; Conti, Sara; Molinari, Enrico

2002-01-01

e-health, the integration of telehealth technologies with the Internet and shared virtual reality could become a significant enabler of consumer health initiatives. In fact, they provide an increasingly accessible communication channel for a growing part of the population. In the past decade medical applications of virtual reality (VR) and telemedicine have been rapidly developing, and the technology has changed from a research curiosity to a commercially and clinically important area of medical informatics technology. The chapter details the characteristics of the Experiential Cognitive Therapy (ECT), an integrated inpatient/outpatient (4 weeks) and telemedicine approach (24 weeks) that tries to enhance the classical cognitive-behavioral method used in the treatment of eating disorders, through VR sessions and telemedicine support in the follow-up stage. Particularly, using VR and telemedicine, ECT is able to address body experience disturbances, interpersonal relationships, self efficacy and motivation to change, key issues for the development and maintenance of eating disorders that are somehow neglected by actual clinical guidelines.

e-Health preparedness assessment in the context of an influenza pandemic: a qualitative study in China.

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Li, Junhua; Seale, Holly; Ray, Pradeep; Wang, Quanyi; Yang, Peng; Li, Shuang; Zhang, Yi; Macintyre, C Raina

2013-03-13

To assess the preparedness status of a hospital in Beijing, China for implementation of an e-Health system in the context of a pandemic response. This research project used qualitative methods and involved two phases: (1) group interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to examine how the surveillance system worked with information and communication technology (ICT) support in Beijing, the results of which provided background information for a case study at the second phase and (2) individual interviews were conducted in order to gather a rich data set in relation to e-Health preparedness at the selected hospital. In phase 1, group interviews were conducted at Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in Beijing. In phase 2, individual interviews were performed at a secondary hospital selected for the case study. In phase 1, three group interviews were undertaken with 12 key stakeholders (public health/medical practitioners from the Beijing city CDC, two district CDCs and a tertiary hospital) who were involved in the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic response in Beijing. In phase 2, individual interviews were conducted with 23 participants (including physicians across medical departments, an IT manager and a general administrative officer). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MEASURES: For the case study, five areas were examined to assess the hospital's preparedness for implementation of an e-Health system in the context of a pandemic response: (1) motivational forces for change; (2) healthcare providers' exposure to e-Health; (3) technological preparedness; (4) organisational non-technical ability to support a clinical ICT innovation and (5) sociocultural issues at the organisation in association with e-Health implementation and a pandemic response. This article reports a small subset of the case study results from which major issues were identified under three main themes in relation to the hospital's preparedness. These issues include a poor sharing of patient

How could health information be improved? Recommended actions from the Victorian Consultation on Health Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Sophie J; Sofra, Tanya A

2017-03-07

Objective Health literacy is on the policy agenda. Accessible, high-quality health information is a major component of health literacy. Health information materials include print, electronic or other media-based information enabling people to understand health and make health-related decisions. The aim of the present study was to present the findings and recommended actions as they relate to health information of the Victorian Consultation on Health Literacy. Methods Notes and submissions from the 2014 Victorian Consultation workshops and submissions were analysed thematically and a report prepared with input from an advisory committee. Results Health information needs to improve and recommendations are grouped into two overarching themes. First, the quality of information needs to be increased and this can be done by developing a principle-based framework to inform updating guidance for information production, formulating standards to raise quality and improving the systems for delivering information to people. Second, there needs to be a focus on users of health information. Recommendation actions were for information that promoted active participation in health encounters, resources to encourage critical users of health information and increased availability of information tailored to population diversity. Conclusion A framework to improve health information would underpin the efforts to meet literacy needs in a more consistent way, improving standards and ultimately increasing the participation by consumers and carers in health decision making and self-management. What is known about the topic? Health information is a critical component of the concept of health literacy. Poorer health literacy is associated with poorer health outcomes across a range of measures. Improving access to and the use of quality sources of health information is an important strategy for meeting the health literacy needs of the population. In recent years, health services and

Preparedness for eHealth: Health Sciences Students’ Knowledge, Skills, and Confidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Lam

2016-07-01

Full Text Available There is increasing recognition of the role eHealth will play in the effective and efficient delivery of healthcare. This research challenges the assumption that students enter university as digital natives, able to confidently and competently adapt their use of information and communication technology (ICT to new contexts. This study explored health sciences students’ preparedness for working, and leading change, in eHealth-enabled environments. Using a cross-sectional study design, 420 undergraduate and postgraduate students participated in an online survey investigating their understanding of and attitude towards eHealth, frequency of online activities and software usage, confidence learning and using ICTs, and perceived learning needs. Although students reported that they regularly engaged with a wide range of online activities and software and were confident learning new ICT skills especially where they have sufficient time or support, their understanding of eHealth was uncertain or limited. Poor understanding of and difficulty translating skills learned in personal contexts to the professional context may impair graduates ability to con-fidently engage in the eHealth-enabled workplace. These results suggest educators need to scaffold the learning experience to ensure students build on their ICT knowledge to transfer this to their future workplaces.

Political Literacy as Information Literacy

OpenAIRE

Ross Cory Alexander

2009-01-01

This paper contends that political literacy and information literacy are compatible concepts that are inextricably linked and should therefore be taught and stressed simultaneously to students in the classroom. Improving the information literacy and political literacy skills of students will allow them to not only perform better academically, but also empower them to become better citizens who form opinions and make decisions based on appropriate and quality information.

New literacies, multiple literacies, unlimited literacies: what now, what next, where to? A response to blue listerine, parochialism and ASL literacy.

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Paul, Peter V

2006-01-01

This article is a response to Blue Listerine, Parochialism, and ASL Literacy (Czubek, 2006). The author presents his views on the concepts of literacy and the new and multiple literacies. In addition, the merits of print literacy and other types of literacies are discussed. Although the author agrees that there is an American Sign Language (ASL) literacy, he maintains that there should be a distinction between conversational "literacy" forms (speech and sign) and secondary literacy forms (reading and writing). It might be that cognitive skills associated with print literacy and, possibly, other captured literacy forms, are necessary for a technological, scientific-driven society such as that which exists in the United States.

The Anticipated Positive Psychosocial Impact of Present Web-Based E-Health Services and Future Mobile Health Applications: An Investigation among Older Swedes.

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Wiklund Axelsson, S; Nyberg, L; Näslund, A; Melander Wikman, A

2013-01-01

This study investigates the anticipated psychosocial impact of present web-based e-health services and future mobile health applications among older Swedes. Random sample's of Swedish citizens aged 55 years old and older were given a survey containing two different e-health scenarios which respondents rated according to their anticipated psychosocial impact by means of the PIADS instrument. Results consistently demonstrated the positive anticipation of psychosocial impacts for both scenarios. The future mobile health applications scored more positively than the present web-based e-health services. An increase in age correlated positively to lower impact scores. These findings indicate that from a psychosocial perspective, web-based e-health services and mobile health applications are likely to positively impact quality of life. This knowledge can be helpful when tailoring and implementing e-health services that are directed to older people.

Business Modeling to Implement an eHealth Portal for Infection Control: A Reflection on Co-Creation With Stakeholders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Limburg, A.H.M.; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.

2015-01-01

Background: It is acknowledged that the success and uptake of eHealth improve with the involvement of users and stakeholders to make technology reflect their needs. Involving stakeholders in implementation research is thus a crucial element in developing eHealth technology. Business modeling is an

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keijser, Wouter Alexander; Smits, Jacco Gerardus Wilhelmus Leonardus; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste P.M.

2016-01-01

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective “physician e-leadership” (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and

eHealth and mHealth interventions in the treatment of fatigued cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Seiler, Annina; Klaas, Vanessa; Tröster, Gerhard; Fagundes, Christopher P

2017-09-01

To (1) evaluate existing eHealth/mHealth interventions developed to help manage cancer-related fatigue (CRF); and (2) summarize the best available evidence on their effectiveness. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library up to November 2016 was conducted. Study outcomes were extracted, tabulated, and summarized. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted for the primary outcome (fatigue), and the secondary outcomes quality of life and depression, yielding pooled effect sizes (r), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). For eHealth interventions, our search of published papers identified 9 completed studies and 6 protocols for funded projects underway. No studies were identified for mHealth interventions that met our inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis of the 9 completed eHealth studies revealed a statistically significant beneficial effect of eHealth interventions on CRF (r = .27, 95% CI [.1109 - .4218], P eHealth interventions were more efficacious then self-guided interventions (r = .58, 95% CI: [.3136 - .5985, P eHealth interventions appear to be effective for managing fatigue in cancer survivors with CRF. Continuous development of eHealth interventions for the treatment of CRF in cancer survivors and their testing in long-term, large-scale efficacy outcome studies is encouraged. The degree to which mHealth interventions can change CRF in cancer survivors need to be assessed systematically and empirically. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Platform for e-Health Control and Location Services for Wandering Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha Yasivee Carrizales-Villagómez

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Wandering patients frequently have diseases that demand continuous health control, such as taking pills at specific times, constant blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, temperature and stress level checkups, and so on. These could be jeopardized by their wandering behavior. Mobile applications that focus on health care have received special interest from medical specialists. These applications have been widely accepted, due to the availability of smart devices that include sensors. However, sensor-based applications are highly energy demanding and as such, they can be unaffordable in mobile e-health control due to battery constraints. This paper presents the design and implementation of a platform aimed at providing support in e-health control and provision of location services for wandering patients through real-time medical and mobility information analysis. The platform includes a configurable mobile application for heart rate and stress level monitoring based on Bluetooth Low Energy technology (BLE, and a web service for monitoring and control of the wandering patients. Due to battery limitations of smart devices with sensors, the mobile application includes energy-efficient handling and transmission policies to make more efficient the transmission of medical information from the sensor-based smart device to the web service. In turn, the web service provides e-health control services for patients and caregivers. Through the platform functionality, caregivers (and patients can receive notifications and suggestions in response to emergency, contingency situations, or deviations from health and mobility patterns of the wandering patients. This paper describes a platform that conceals continuous monitoring with energy-efficient applications in favor of e-health control of wandering patients.

eHealth Technologies as an intervention to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics: a systematic review.

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Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Andersen, Flemming; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

2018-03-01

Topical antipsoriatics are recommended first-line treatment of psoriasis, but rates of adherence are low. Patient support by use of electronic health (eHealth) services is suggested to improve medical adherence. To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing eHealth interventions designed to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics and to review applications for smartphones (apps) incorporating the word psoriasis. Literature review: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched using search terms for eHealth, psoriasis and topical antipsoriatics. General analysis of apps: The operating systems (OS) for smartphones, iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Store, Symbian OS and Blackberry OS were searched for apps containing the word psoriasis. Literature review: Only one RCT was included, reporting on psoriasis patients' Internet reporting their status of psoriasis over a 12-month period. The rate of adherence was measured by Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS ® ). An improvement in medical adherence and reduction of severity of psoriasis were reported. General analysis of apps: A total 184 apps contained the word psoriasis. There is a critical need for high-quality RCTs testing if the ubiquitous eHealth technologies, for example, some of the numerous apps, can improve psoriasis patients' rates of adherence to topical antipsoriatics.

Financial Stress, Financial Literacy, Counselling and the Risk of Homelessness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Steen

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Poor financial literacy may lead to poor life choices. These life choices can create or contribute to financial stress with adverse consequences - not the least of which may be homelessness. These issues are relatively well understood, but there is limited research on the link between financial stress, financial literacy and counselling, and homelessness. Specifically, there has been little research on how improved financial literacy and appropriate financial counselling might help to prevent homelessness. This paper synthesises existing literature on this topic and considers these issues using the ABCX family stress model of Hill (1958 using data from an Australian program aimed at alleviating family homelessness, the Home Advice Program. We provide evidence that suggests that case management and support which incorporates financial counselling and financial literacy can assist in moderating the impact of financial stress and help those at risk of homelessness. The findings have implications for public policy in the areas of financial education, consumer finance, and social services provision.

Public strategies for improving eHealth integration and long‐term sustainability in public health care systems: Findings from an Italian case study

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Nuti, Sabina

2017-01-01

Summary eHealth is expected to contribute in tackling challenges for health care systems. However, it also imposes challenges. Financing strategies adopted at national as well regional levels widely affect eHealth long‐term sustainability. In a public health care system, the public actor is among the main “buyers” eHealth. However, public interventions have been increasingly focused on cost containment. How to match these 2 aspects? This article explores some central issues, mainly related to financial aspects, in the development of effective and valuable eHealth strategies in a public health care system: How can the public health care system (as a “buyer”) improve long‐term success and sustainability of eHealth solutions? What levers are available to match in the long period different interests of different stakeholders in the eHealth field? A case study was performed in the Region of Tuscany, Italy. According to our results, win‐win strategies should be followed. Investments should take into account the need to long‐term finance solutions, for sustaining changes in health care organizations for obtaining benefits. To solve the interoperability issues, the concept of the “platform approach” emerged, based on collaboration within and between organizations. Private sector as well as beneficiaries and final users of the eHealth solutions should participate in their design, provision, and monitoring. For creating value for all, the evidence gap and the financial needs could be addressed with a pull mechanism of funding, aimed at paying according to the outcomes produced by the eHealth solution, on the base of an ongoing monitoring, measurement, and evaluation of the outcomes. PMID:28791771

eHealth technologies to support nutrition and physical activity behaviors in diabetes self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollo, Megan E; Aguiar, Elroy J; Williams, Rebecca L; Wynne, Katie; Kriss, Michelle; Callister, Robin; Collins, Clare E

2016-01-01

Diabetes is a chronic, complex condition requiring sound knowledge and self-management skills to optimize glycemic control and health outcomes. Dietary intake and physical activity are key diabetes self-management (DSM) behaviors that require tailored education and support. Electronic health (eHealth) technologies have a demonstrated potential for assisting individuals with DSM behaviors. This review provides examples of technologies used to support nutrition and physical activity behaviors in the context of DSM. Technologies covered include those widely used for DSM, such as web-based programs and mobile phone and smartphone applications. In addition, examples of novel tools such as virtual and augmented reality, video games, computer vision for dietary carbohydrate monitoring, and wearable devices are provided. The challenges to, and facilitators for, the use of eHealth technologies in DSM are discussed. Strategies to support the implementation of eHealth technologies within practice and suggestions for future research to enhance nutrition and physical activity behaviors as a part of broader DSM are provided.

Use of eHealth technologies to enable the implementation of musculoskeletal Models of Care: Evidence and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Helen; Dear, Blake F; Merolli, Mark A; Li, Linda C; Briggs, Andrew M

2016-06-01

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are the second leading cause of morbidity-related burden of disease globally. EHealth is a potentially critical factor that enables the implementation of accessible, sustainable and more integrated MSK models of care (MoCs). MoCs serve as a vehicle to drive evidence into policy and practice through changes at a health system, clinician and patient level. The use of eHealth to implement MoCs is intuitive, given the capacity to scale technologies to deliver system and economic efficiencies, to contribute to sustainability, to adapt to low-resource settings and to mitigate access and care disparities. We follow a practice-oriented approach to describing the 'what' and 'how' to harness eHealth in the implementation of MSK MoCs. We focus on the practical application of eHealth technologies across care settings to those MSK conditions contributing most substantially to the burden of disease, including osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis, skeletal fragility-associated conditions and persistent MSK pain. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Improving access to supportive cancer care through an eHealth application: a qualitative needs assessment among cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubberding, Sanne; van Uden-Kraan, Cornelia F; Te Velde, Elisabeth A; Cuijpers, Pim; Leemans, C René; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M

2015-05-01

To gain insight into cancer survivors' needs towards an eHealth application monitoring quality of life and targeting personalised access to supportive care. Supportive care in cancer addresses survivors' concerns and needs. However, many survivors are not taking advantage of supportive care provided. To enable cancer survivors to benefit, survivors' needs must be identified timely and effectively. An eHealth application could be a solution to meet patients' individual supportive care needs. A qualitative approach. Thirty cancer survivors (15 head and neck and 15 breast cancer survivors) participated. The majority were female (n = 20·67%). The mean age was 60 (SD 8·8) years. Mean time interval since treatment was 13·5 months (SD 10·5). All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. During the interviews, participants were asked about their unmet needs during follow-up care and a potential eHealth application. Data were analyzed independently by two coders and coded into key issues and themes. Cancer survivors commented that they felt unprepared for the post-treatment period and that their symptoms often remained unknown to care providers. Survivors also mentioned a suboptimal referral pattern to supportive care services. Mentioned advantages of an eHealth application were as follows: insight into the course of symptoms by monitoring, availability of information among follow-up appointments, receiving personalised advice and tailored supportive care. Cancer survivors identified several unmet needs during follow-up care. Most survivors were positive towards the proposed eHealth application and expressed that it could be a valuable addition to follow-up cancer care. Study results provide care providers with insight into barriers that impede survivors from obtaining optimal supportive care. This study also provides insight into the characteristics needed to design, build and implement an eHealth application targeting personalised access to supportive

Perceptions of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their physiotherapists regarding the use of an eHealth intervention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vorrink, S.N.W.; Huisman, C.; Kort, H.S.M.; Troosters, T.; Lammers, J.J.

2017-01-01

Background: If eHealth interventions are not used (properly), their potential benefits cannot be fulfilled. User perceptions of eHealth are an important determinant of its successful implementation. This study examined how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their

Implementation of Fog Computing for Reliable E-Health Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Craciunescu, Razvan; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Mihaylov, Mihail Rumenov

2015-01-01

tasks, such as storage and data signal processing to the edge of the network, thus decreasing the latency associated with performing those tasks within the cloud. The research scenario is an e-Health laboratory implementation where the real-time processing is performed by the home PC, while...

Promoting Access to Finance by Empowering Consumers--Financial Literacy in Developing Countries

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Kefela, Ghirmai T.

2010-01-01

This paper is an effort to establish the financial sector in developing countries to promote financial literacy of their customers. This could have access to finance and savings, which in turn support livelihoods, economic growth, sound financial systems, and participate in the economy. The main objectives of this paper is to enhance a bank's…

Analýza vybraných zahraničných národných strategií eHealth a návrh koncepcie pre ČR