University of Twente Student Theses
Perceptions and preferences of elderly low educated patients regarding patient portals : a qualitative research.
Abdalrahim, Reyan Baha Eldin Mohamed (2019) Perceptions and preferences of elderly low educated patients regarding patient portals : a qualitative research.
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| Abstract: | Abstract Background: Health care organizations are increasingly designing, developing and implementing patient portals. However, patient portal usage in the Netherlands remains very low. Many researchers found that patient portals yield many positive effects on health, self-management of disease and patient satisfaction. Vulnerable target groups such as elderly patients and patients with limited eHealth or Health skills presumably struggle with patient portal usage. This research aims to gain insight into the attitudes, thoughts, experiences, and preferences of elderly low educated patients regarding patient portals and to explore their perceived benefits, barriers and required preconditioning. Methods: Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews with (n=15) elderly low educated patients were conducted. The framework method was applied to analyse data from the audio-recordings that were transcribed verbatim (Gale, Heath, Cameron, Rashid & Redwood, 2013). Quantitative data was analysed using basic descriptive statistics (frequency, means) in the program SPSS version 23. Results: Most participants had no prior knowledge about patient portals, but those with experience were positive. General important benefits were unlimited accessibility, more clarity, and an overview of personal health. Barriers to not using a patient portal were participants’ perceptions of their technological skills, lack of faith in technology and perceiving patient portals as impersonal. Participants advise hospitals to make patient portals clear, provide patients simple access, use easy language, more information provision of patient portals, and blended health. Conclusion: This study found that most elderly low educated patients were unfamiliar with patient portals and thus cannot benefit from them. Blended health care is recommended, a combination of regular health care service and online health care service. Patient portal designers should make patient portals easier to fit the needs and preferences of vulnerable groups such as elderly low educated patients. Future research should focus on a combination of age, education level and illness. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/79863 |
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