Shih Huan-Ju, Xue Hong, Min Hua, Wojtusiak Janusz, Chang Jongwha
Department of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax City, VA, USA.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
Patient Prefer Adherence. 2023 Dec 21;17:3489-3501. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S438710. eCollection 2023.
The study utilized a cross-sectional dataset to identify demographic and health factors associated with patient utilization of mHealth applications for engaging with healthcare providers. The focus was on adults with chronic health conditions as the primary app user group. The goal was to reveal specific barriers and facilitators to app adoption among smartphone users, with the aim of highlighting opportunities for upgrades that promote patient empowerment as a prerequisite for shared decision-making (SDM).
Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 4, 2020) with 3865 respondents (≥18 years old) stratified analyses and weighted logistic regression were used.
The study found that individuals having a wellness app on a smartphone increased the likelihood (OR 2.68, CI: 2.02-3.56, p-value < 0.0001) of discussing health conditions with providers. Furthermore, individuals with multiple chronic health conditions were more likely (OR 1.93, CI 1.26-2.95, p-value < 0.01) to use apps to use mobile health applications to engage with healthcare providers. Other significant variables affecting app usage such as race, marital status, and educational level.
Due to difficulties obtaining in-person healthcare, the COVID-19 epidemic forced a swift deployment of mHealth technologies. Even in the absence of a crisis, mobile health applications continue to be crucial for improving patient-provider engagement and developing novel approaches to healthcare delivery. During the pandemic, people with numerous chronic diseases used apps to stay in touch with doctors and maintain their reliance on these platforms. Nonetheless, different smartphone users continue to use mHealth application in different ways. The findings revealing barriers in mHealth app adoption among certain patient subgroups suggest opportunities for developers, in collaboration with users and providers, to enhance inclusion and acceptability when upgrading mHealth application platforms.
本研究利用横断面数据集，确定与患者使用移动健康应用程序与医疗服务提供者互动相关的人口统计学和健康因素。重点关注患有慢性健康状况的成年人作为主要应用程序用户群体。目标是揭示智能手机用户采用应用程序的具体障碍和促进因素，以突出升级机会，促进患者赋权，这是共同决策（SDM）的先决条件。
使用来自健康信息国家趋势调查（HINTS 5，第4周期，2020年）的数据，对3865名（≥18岁）受访者进行分层分析和加权逻辑回归。
研究发现，在智能手机上拥有健康应用程序的个体增加了与提供者讨论健康状况的可能性（OR 2.68，CI：2.02 - 3.56，p值<0.0001）。此外，患有多种慢性健康状况的个体更有可能（OR 1.93，CI 1.26 - 2.95，p值<0.01）使用移动健康应用程序与医疗服务提供者互动。其他影响应用程序使用的重要变量包括种族、婚姻状况和教育水平。
由于难以获得面对面的医疗服务，COVID - 19疫情促使移动健康技术迅速部署。即使在没有危机的情况下，移动健康应用程序对于改善患者与提供者的互动以及开发新的医疗服务提供方式仍然至关重要。在疫情期间，患有多种慢性病的人使用应用程序与医生保持联系，并维持对这些平台的依赖。尽管如此，不同的智能手机用户继续以不同的方式使用移动健康应用程序。研究结果揭示了某些患者亚组在采用移动健康应用程序方面的障碍，这为开发者与用户和提供者合作，在升级移动健康应用程序平台时提高包容性和可接受性提供了机会。
