학술논문
Lived Experiences and Technological Literacy of Heart Failure Patients and Clinicians at a Cardiac Care Centre in Uganda.
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Hearn J; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.; Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CA.; Pham Q; Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CA.; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.; Schwartz JI; Section of General Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, US.; Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kampala, UG.; Ssinabulya I; Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kampala, UG.; Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, UG.; Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, UG.; Akiteng AR; Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kampala, UG.; Ross HJ; Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CA.; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.; Cafazzo JA; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.; Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CA.; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA.
Source
Publisher: Ubiquity Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101620864 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2214-9996 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 22149996 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Ann Glob Health Subsets: MEDLINE
Subject
Language
English
Abstract
Background: Digital health could serve as a low-cost means of enabling better self-care in patients living with heart failure (HF) in resource-limited settings such as Uganda. However, digital health interventions previously deployed in such settings have been unsuccessful due to a lack of local patient and clinician engagement in the design process.
Objective: To engage Ugandan HF patients and clinicians regarding their experiences with HF management and technology, so as to inform the future design of a digital health intervention for HF patients in Uganda.
Methods: The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Data collection was completed at the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Data were ascertained through a patient survey and semi-structured interviews completed with HF patients, caregivers, physicians, and nurses. A conventional content analysis approach was used to qualitatively examine interview transcripts.
Findings: Survey data were collected from 101 HF patients (62 female/39 male, aged 54.2 ± 17.5 years). Nearly half (48%) disagreed that they knew what to do in response to changes in their HF symptoms. Almost all patients (98%) had access to a mobile device. Many patients (63%) identified as comfortable in using mobile money - a local set of services that use Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). Interviews were completed with 19 HF patients, three caregivers, seven physicians, and three nurses. Qualitative analysis revealed four clusters of themes: overdependence of patients on the clinic, inconvenience associated with attending the clinic, inconsistent patient self-care behaviours at home, and technological abilities that favoured USSD-based services.
Conclusions: Ugandan HF patients possess unmet information needs that leave them ill-equipped to care for themselves. Future digital health interventions for this population should empower patients with HF-specific information and reassurance in their self-care abilities. Based on patient preferences, such systems should harness USSD technology with which most patients are already comfortable.
Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare.
(Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s).)
Objective: To engage Ugandan HF patients and clinicians regarding their experiences with HF management and technology, so as to inform the future design of a digital health intervention for HF patients in Uganda.
Methods: The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Data collection was completed at the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Data were ascertained through a patient survey and semi-structured interviews completed with HF patients, caregivers, physicians, and nurses. A conventional content analysis approach was used to qualitatively examine interview transcripts.
Findings: Survey data were collected from 101 HF patients (62 female/39 male, aged 54.2 ± 17.5 years). Nearly half (48%) disagreed that they knew what to do in response to changes in their HF symptoms. Almost all patients (98%) had access to a mobile device. Many patients (63%) identified as comfortable in using mobile money - a local set of services that use Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). Interviews were completed with 19 HF patients, three caregivers, seven physicians, and three nurses. Qualitative analysis revealed four clusters of themes: overdependence of patients on the clinic, inconvenience associated with attending the clinic, inconsistent patient self-care behaviours at home, and technological abilities that favoured USSD-based services.
Conclusions: Ugandan HF patients possess unmet information needs that leave them ill-equipped to care for themselves. Future digital health interventions for this population should empower patients with HF-specific information and reassurance in their self-care abilities. Based on patient preferences, such systems should harness USSD technology with which most patients are already comfortable.
Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare.
(Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s).)