Citizens and ICT for Health in 14 EU countries: results from an online panel survey (14,000 responses)

Editor's Notes

1. ONCE WE HAVE OVERVIEWED SOME OF THE MAIN FINDINGS WE GO BACK TO OUR FRAMEWORK TO MAP THE DIMENSIONS FOUND TRHOUGH MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS
2. THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG THESE DIMENSIONS OR CONCEPTS REVEALS THE COMPLEX ECONSYSTEM OF EHEALTH Social determinants of Health (structural and intermediary), especially education and age; produces different levels of ICT readiness. These levels are also related with LIFE EVENTS and embedded in individuals daily life. Advance uses of the Internet such as Tech and Web 2.0 uses are more likely to be carried out by young; healthy and well-educated population while basic uses are mostly performed by the elderly, therefore individuals with worse health status (chronic patients and individuals with more number of health problems reported). Unequal ICT readiness generates different of motivation. Individuals with more advance uses are triggered by the potential of ICT to facilitate social interaction and services related with health while individuals with basic and or individual uses are triggered basically by Internet health information for personal proposes. Furthermore, individuals with the lowest level of readiness (basic uses) and with more health problems reported are worried by the lack of confidence in the use of ICT for Health. Nevertheless, this lack of confidence is dismissed by a higher level of empowerment (competence oriented). Both ICT for Health usages (Services and Devices and Information and Communication) are specially driven by social and services triggers while individual triggers are just slightly correlated with Information and Communication usages, therefore less advance uses. Both dimensions of Empowerment pushed ICT for Health usage. Individuals who are more competence oriented are more likely to usage Information and Communication while individuals who are more control oriented are more likely to use Services and Devices. Thus individuals who feel more responsible for their health status are more likely to usage Services and Devices while individuals who want to be more autonomous (competence refers to aptitudes or qualities that make it possible to be more autonomous) are more likely to utilise Information and Communication. If we consider individuals’ education, age and health status it looks like Services and Devices are related with well-being and wellness practice, therefore with health prevention and promotion; while Information and Communication are more related with illness, therefore with cure and independent living All individuals using ICT for Health faced the same barriers ; therefore lack of confidence and lack of readiness are not correlated significantly with ICT for Health usages. Nevertheless, lack of confidence is negative correlated with ICT for Health impact on access dimension. Individuals need certain level of confidence on ICT for Health to go beyond information and communication and engage with services such as RMT; Personal Health Record or videoconference consultation. The utilisation of Services and devices are strongly correlated with the perception that ICT would have an impact on both healthcare access and quality and healthy behaviours while the utilisation of Information and Communication is slightly correlated just with Quality and healthy behaviours. Number of health problems reported by individuals is just slightly correlated with Information and Communication Usage and it is unrelated to Services and devices utilisation. Therefore, individuals who could take more advantage of Services and devices, due to their health status, are more likely to be oriented just to information and communication usage.
3. THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG THESE DIMENSIONS OR CONCEPTS REVEALS THE COMPLEX ECONSYSTEM OF EHEALTH Social determinants of Health (structural and intermediary), especially education and age; produces different levels of ICT readiness. These levels are also related with LIFE EVENTS and embedded in individuals daily life. Advance uses of the Internet such as Tech and Web 2.0 uses are more likely to be carried out by young; healthy and well-educated population while basic uses are mostly performed by the elderly, therefore individuals with worse health status (chronic patients and individuals with more number of health problems reported). Unequal ICT readiness generates different of motivation. Individuals with more advance uses are triggered by the potential of ICT to facilitate social interaction and services related with health while individuals with basic and or individual uses are triggered basically by Internet health information for personal proposes. Furthermore, individuals with the lowest level of readiness (basic uses) and with more health problems reported are worried by the lack of confidence in the use of ICT for Health. Nevertheless, this lack of confidence is dismissed by a higher level of empowerment (competence oriented). Both ICT for Health usages (Services and Devices and Information and Communication) are specially driven by social and services triggers while individual triggers are just slightly correlated with Information and Communication usages, therefore less advance uses. Both dimensions of Empowerment pushed ICT for Health usage. Individuals who are more competence oriented are more likely to usage Information and Communication while individuals who are more control oriented are more likely to use Services and Devices. Thus individuals who feel more responsible for their health status are more likely to usage Services and Devices while individuals who want to be more autonomous (competence refers to aptitudes or qualities that make it possible to be more autonomous) are more likely to utilise Information and Communication. If we consider individuals’ education, age and health status it looks like Services and Devices are related with well-being and wellness practice, therefore with health prevention and promotion; while Information and Communication are more related with illness, therefore with cure and independent living All individuals using ICT for Health faced the same barriers; therefore lack of confidence and lack of readiness are not correlated significantly with ICT for Health usages. Nevertheless, lack of confidence is negative correlated with ICT for Health impact on access dimension. Individuals need certain level of confidence on ICT for Health to go beyond information and communication and engage with services such as RMT; Personal Health Record or videoconference consultation. The utilisation of Services and devices are strongly correlated with the perception that ICT would have an impact on both healthcare access and quality and healthy behaviours while the utilisation of Information and Communication is slightly correlated just with Quality and healthy behaviours. Number of health problems reported by individuals is just slightly correlated with Information and Communication Usage and it is unrelated to Services and devices utilisation. Therefore, individuals who could take more advantage of Services and devices, due to their health status, are more likely to be oriented just to information and communication usage.
4. THIS OVERVIEW COULD BE analysed in greater depth and granularity. We will present some examples IF WE FOCUS ON WILLINGNESS TO USE ICT FOR HEALTH. WE CLEARLY IDENTIFY THREE PROFILES YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE WILLING TO UTILISE ICT FOR HEALTH WEB 2.0 USES AND SERVICES AND DEVICES WHILE ELDER INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE WILLING TO UTILISE INTERNET HEALTH INFORMATION MIDDLE AGE INDIVIDUALS WHO ACT AS A GATEKEEPERS OF ICT FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE SLIGTLY MORE ORIENTED TO INFORMATION AND SERVICES. THESE PROFILES ARE RELATED WITH DIFFERENT STAGE OF LIFE THEREFORE DIFFERENT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING NEEDS SO DIFFERENT PREVENTION, CURE AND CARE AND INDEPENDENT LIVING POSITION… SO WHAT TYPE OF ICT SOLUTIONS COULD BE OFFERED AND HOW THIS WILL EVOLVE