Using a screening tool to evaluate potential use of e-health services for older people with and without cognitive impairment

Abstract

Objectives: E-health services are increasingly offered to provide clients with information and a link to healthcare services. The aim of this study is to investigate the perceived access to and the potential to use technologies important for e-health services among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and controls.

Method: The perceived access to and perception of difficulty in the use of everyday technology (such as cell phones, coffee machines, computers) was investigated in a sample of older adults (n = 118) comprising three subsamples: adults with MCI (n = 37), with mild AD (n = 37), and controls (n = 44) using the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ). The use of seven technologies important for e-health services was specifically examined for each subsample and compared between the subsamples.

Results: The findings demonstrated that the older adults in all subsamples perceive access to e-health technologies and potentially would use them competently in several e-health services. However, among persons with AD a lower proportion of perceived access to the technology was described, as well as for persons with MCI.

Conclusion: To make the benefits of e-health services available and used by all clients, it is important to consider access to the technology required in e-health services and also to support the clients’ capabilities to understand and use the technologies. Also, the potential use of the ETUQ to explore the perceived access to and competence in using e-health technologies is a vital issue in the use of e-health services.

Keywords:

• Alzheimer's disease
• mild cognitive impairment
• healthcare
• everyday technology

Acknowledgements

First, the authors thank the respondents for participating in the study. Also, thanks to occupational therapists Monica Pantzar, Sofia Starkhammar, Cecilia Toding, and Brittmari Uppgard who took part in the data gathering.

Funding

This research was financially supported by Swedish Brainpower, the regional agreement on medical training and clinical research between the Stockholm County Council and the Karolinska Institutet and Strategic Research Programme in Care Sciences.

References