Purpose: ◦ The purpose of this study was to develop the content and pilot test a survey questionnaire that will examine access, current use, preferences, and willingness to use health information technologies to manage their health among individuals ≥ 45.
Method: ◦ To generate the items for the survey two methods were used: 1) A comprehensive literature review: The review was conducted by searching areas of chronic disease, self-management, health information systems, as well as attitudes and behavior towards technology. The following databases were searched Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. 2) Focus groups: Domains identified from the literature review were used to develop open-ended questions. A first focus group consisted of 10 professionals working in health promotion and chronic disease prevention including doctors, nurses, physical therapists, psychologists, researchers developing and testing health technologies, and hospital administrators. A second focus group consisted of 10 participants of individuals with and without chronic disease ≥ 45. They were recruited from community and health care settings. A thematic analysis was conducted to develop items and a Tailored Design Method was used to decide on items to keep and is aimed at maximizing response rates.
Result: ◦ The final survey consisted of 9 domains including: 1. Demographic information, 2. Global health 3. Health care use profile, 4. Needs and gaps in the health care system, 5. Patient as gatekeeper of her/his health, 6. Technology use general, 7. Technology use for health-related activities, 8. Confidentiality and privacy concerns, 9. Interest in specific features supported by technology. Each domain contains 5 to 18 items. Items are evaluated on Likert scales measuring frequency, agreement, quality or interest and ordinal scales measuring level of agreement.
Conclusion: ◦ Evaluating preference regarding the use of health information technology requires an appraisal of the patient’s perceived role as the gate keeper of her/his health and the actions she/he presently undertakes using technology. A final pre-testing of the survey will be conducted before it is administered to a representative national sample of Canadians. The results will inform future design and implementation of health information technologies, especially for older individuals who may be less comfortable with technology use.
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