학술논문
Exploring Primary Healthcare Experiences and Interest in Mobile Technology Engagement Amongst an Urban Population Experiencing Barriers to Care.
Document Type
Article
Author
Source
Subject
*CELL phones
*RELIABILITY (Personality trait)
*HEALTH services accessibility
*FOCUS groups
*MIDDLE-income countries
*DISCRIMINATION (Sociology)
*PHYSICIAN-patient relations
*RESEARCH methodology
*MEDICAL technology
*SOCIAL stigma
*MEDICAL care costs
*DIGITAL health
*PRIMARY health care
*PATIENTS' attitudes
*CONTINUUM of care
*DESCRIPTIVE statistics
*LOW-income countries
*RESEARCH funding
*THEMATIC analysis
*MEDICAL needs assessment
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Language
ISSN
1049-7323
Abstract
Mobile phone–based engagement approaches provide potential platforms for improving access to primary healthcare (PHC) services for underserved populations. We held two focus groups (February 2020) with residents (n = 25) from a low-income urban neighbourhood (downtown Vancouver, Canada), to assess recent healthcare experiences and elicit interest in mobile phone–based healthcare engagement for underserved residents. Note-based analysis, guided by interpretative description, was used to explore emerging themes. Engagement in PHC was complicated by multiple, intersecting personal-level and socio-structural factors, and experiences of stigma and discrimination from care providers. Perceived inadequacy of PHC services and pervasive discrimination reported by participants indicate a significant and ongoing need to improve client–provider relationships to address unmet health needs. Mobile phone–based engagement was endorsed, highlighting phone ownership and client–provider text-messaging, facilitated by non-clinical staff such as peers, as helpful to strengthening retention and facilitating care team connection. Concerns raised included reliability, cost, and technology and language accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]