2024-02-05 07:43:24
There is a widespread need for digital literacy in the healthcare field, from the perspective of patients and professionals. This is the main conclusion of the digital literacy study prepared by the Patient Organizations Platform (POP).
The Platform of Patient Organizations together with the consulting firm IQVIA have prepared a study called “Chronicity and E-Health strategies: the importance of the digital profile.” The central objective is to determine the level of digital literacy of chronic patients and their relationship with the health system.
To carry out this work, four chronic diseases have been selected: diabetes, COPD (Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), risk of thrombosis and pathologies derived from transplants.
Thus, the responses of 800 surveys of chronic patients (of different genders, conditions and ages) have been taken. The distribution has been through quotas of 200 for each of the pathologies.
Digital transformation in health
The phenomenon of digital transformation in health is a reality in which patients, health professionals, providers and institutions are immersed. The main trigger for this accelerated change has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shown the need for digitalization and telemedicine.
In the study of digital literacy we find various data. Those related to the use of technologies are very significant.
Thus, the general data is that 47% of chronic patients have difficulty with technology when interacting with the health system, with large differences depending on age. 17% of those under 40 years of age have difficulty, while 78% are over 70 years of age.
E-health chronicity day. Image provided by POP
Patient considerations
In the digital literacy study, various aspects have been taken into account when evaluating the digital education of the respondents. Thus, the data have been analyzed according to the age, gender, socioeconomic level and pathology of the patient.
- Consumption of medicines per inhabitant, socioeconomic level and pathology
The truth is that the majority of respondents are in a middle-income socioeconomic environment. In this sense, medication consumption has a clear tendency to decrease as socioeconomic level increases.
- Patient interaction with the health system
At this point, it becomes very important who is the first and most common link or contact for the patient for the follow-up of their pathology. For 63.8% of the total number of respondents, even though they have different diseases, the closest link is the Primary Care (PC) doctor. For 30.6% it is the specialist doctor, for 4.5% it is the pharmacist and for 2.1% of the total it is the nurse.
Depending on the socioeconomic level, this trend continues in the same order: PC doctor, specialist doctor, pharmacist and nurse. The only exception is patients with high and very high incomes. In their surveys, consultation with nursing professionals is non-existent and consultation with specialist doctors is higher than that of primary care doctors.
Infographic provided by the POP
Resources used
How do you make an appointment?
One of the keys to the digitalization of the health field that directly affects patients is the possibility of making an appointment online.
In the results of study of digital literacy, we found that 60% of the total respondents prefer to make a medical appointment in person. This trend ranges from 37% of those under 40 to 74% of those over 70. Secondly, it is stated that they prefer to make an appointment by telephone. The last positions are for mobile applications, emails and “others”.
These same resources, but from the socioeconomic perspective, are very similar and have hardly any variations.
Type of visit carried out
When analyzing the channel used by patients for consultations, we found that everyone, regardless of age range and socioeconomic status, prefers to attend in person. The use of video consultation, despite the desire of professionals to increase its use, is very low.
How is the information obtained?
To keep up to date with the latest news on the pathology suffered by those surveyed, we also found great differences. Thus, the first channel of information is that of health professionals, while the second is the Internet (although it is followed by a long distance).
Self-perception in the use of technologies
Regarding the ease of using technologies in health matters, we again find large differences according to age, gender and socioeconomic status.
- “How do you handle video calls and the use of mobile applications and the internet?
The total of the responses indicates that 30% consider that “they handle themselves very well”, while 22% “avoid technology if they can.” The answers are quite similar.
Regarding the distinction between men and women, there are slight differences, in which, especially young women gain in the self-perception of handling technologies (81% women under 40 years of age compared to 46% of men in the same range old).
Finally, depending on the level of income, people with a lower and higher socioeconomic level are those who consider they have the greatest command of new technologies in health matters.
Conclusions
The final conclusions of the digital health literacy study demonstrate that although knowledge levels are highly variable, there is a widespread need to educate patients in e-health strategies. The change in trend is marked by patients under 40 years of age who do have digital knowledge.
The importance of video consultation by the POPa method that is used very little and in isolation and that, however, would help decongest overwhelmed health centers.
“In conclusion, the knowledge and digital skills of the chronic patient are fundamental for the successful implementation of e-health strategies. It is necessary to make efforts to improve the level of digital literacy, and carry out a gradual implementation, passing through an assistance model “mixed health care, where digital and traditional channels coexist. This will guarantee equitable access to e-health, and will also empower chronic patients and promote their active participation in the management of their own health,” the report’s conclusions state.
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