Enhancing patient participation of older migrant cancer patients: needs, barriers, and eHealth.

OBJECTIVES

To gain insight into (1) the unfulfilled instrumental and affective needs of Turkish-Dutch and Moroccan-Dutch older cancer patients/survivors, (2) the barriers perceived by healthcare professionals in fulfilling these needs, and (3) how the , a multilingual eHealth tool, can support the fulfillment of patients'/survivors' needs, and decrease professionals' barriers.

DESIGN

We conducted a pre-implementation study of the using semi-structured interviews with Turkish-Dutch ( = 10; mean age = 69.10) and Moroccan-Dutch ( = 9; mean age = 69.33) older cancer patients/survivors, and held two focus groups with general practitioners (GPs;  = 7; mean age 45.14) and oncology nurses (ONs;  = 5; mean age = 49.60). Topic list consisted of questions related to needs and perceived barriers. Analysis was based on grounded theory. The acceptance of the was inquired by questions based on the concepts of the Technology Acceptance Model, and analyzed deductively.

RESULTS

Patients/survivors reported unfulfilled needs concerning: (1) information about cancer (treatment), (2) information about the healthcare system, (3) possibilities regarding psychosocial support, and (4) doctor-patient relationship. Among professionals, the main perceived barriers were: (1) patients'/survivors' low health literacy and language barrier, (2) cultural taboo, (3) lack of insight into patients' instrumental needs, and (4) patients'/survivors' lack of trust in Dutch healthcare. Both patients/survivors and professionals thought that implementing the could be effective in fulfilling most of the needs and decreasing the barriers. However, a majority of the patients/survivors were hesitant regarding the use of it, because they found it too difficult to use. Professionals showed a positive intention towards using the .

CONCLUSIONS

To enhance patient participation among older migrant cancer patients/survivors, the is, under certain conditions, a promising tool for fulfilling patients'/survivors' unfulfilled instrumental and affective needs and for bridging barriers perceived by professionals.