Palo Alto Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020 Mar;35(3):321-330. doi: 10.1002/gps.5252. Epub 2019 Dec 29.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs offers numerous technology-delivered interventions to self-manage mental health problems. It is unknown, however, what barriers older military veterans face to using these technologies and how willing they would be to use technologies for mental health concerns.
Seventy-seven veterans (M = 69.16 years; SD = 7.10) completed interviews in a concurrent mixed methods study. Interviewers asked about technology ownership and described four modalities of delivering self-management interventions: printed materials, DVDs, Internet, and mobile apps. Interviewers obtained feedback about each modality's benefits, barriers, and facilitators. Participants ranked their self-management modalities preferences alone and compared with counseling. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression and qualitative analyses were conducted to investigate the reasons contributing to preferences.
Most reported owning a computer (84.4%), having home Internet (80.5%), and a smartphone (70.1%). Participants preferred printed materials (35.1%) over mobile apps (28.6%), Internet (24.7%), and DVDs (13.0%). Lower computer proficiency was associated with preferring DVDs; higher proficiency was associated with Internet and mobile interventions. Residing in an urban area was associated with mobile apps. When counseling was an option, 66% identified this as their first preference. Qualitative findings showed veterans' desire for information, training, and provider support with technology.
Older veterans reported high technology ownership rates but varied preferences for self-management interventions. Notably, two-thirds preferred some form of technology, which points to the importance of ensuring that providers offer existing technology-delivered interventions to older veterans. Veterans' strong preference for counseling emphasizes the need for human support alongside self-management.
美国退伍军人事务部提供了许多技术支持的干预措施，以帮助他们自我管理心理健康问题。然而，目前尚不清楚老年退伍军人在使用这些技术时面临哪些障碍，以及他们对使用技术来解决心理健康问题的意愿如何。
在一项同时进行的混合方法研究中，77 名退伍军人（M=69.16 岁，SD=7.10）完成了访谈。访谈员询问了他们的技术拥有情况，并描述了四种提供自我管理干预措施的模式：印刷材料、DVD、互联网和移动应用程序。访谈员还了解了每种模式的优点、障碍和促进因素。参与者单独对自我管理模式的偏好进行了排名，并与咨询进行了比较。采用多变量调整逻辑回归和定性分析来调查导致偏好的原因。
大多数人报告拥有电脑（84.4%）、家庭互联网（80.5%）和智能手机（70.1%）。参与者更喜欢印刷材料（35.1%）而不是移动应用程序（28.6%）、互联网（24.7%）和 DVD（13.0%）。计算机熟练程度较低与偏好 DVD 相关；较高的熟练程度与互联网和移动干预措施相关。居住在城市地区与移动应用程序相关。当咨询是一种选择时，66%的人将其作为首选。定性研究结果表明，退伍军人希望获得有关技术的信息、培训和提供者支持。
老年退伍军人报告了较高的技术拥有率，但对自我管理干预措施的偏好存在差异。值得注意的是，三分之二的人更喜欢某种形式的技术，这表明确保提供者向老年退伍军人提供现有的技术支持干预措施非常重要。退伍军人对咨询的强烈偏好强调了在自我管理的同时需要提供人际支持。
