Krzysztof Fyderek

Assessment of the use of information technologies among parents of children afflicted with chronic diseases

Introduction and aim of the study:The support to patients with chronic conditions is an important aspect of development of e‑health systems. And yet, information about acceptance and skills related to the use of information technologies (IT) among potential end-users is scarce. The objective of this study was assessment of the use of computer and the Internet both for general and health-related activities in the group of parents of children suffering from chronic medical conditions.

Material and methods: The survey was prepared and performed in the group of 120 parents accompanying their children during outpatient visits to speciality polyclinic (response rate 90.8%).

Results: The mean age of respondents was 40.9 years; 82.6% of them were women. The use of computers was declared by 88.1% and the Internet by 80.7% of the respondents. The Internet was one of main sources of health-related information for 77.1% of them. Checking of procedures recommended by a physician and obtaining advice from other parents were indicated most frequently among health-related activities performed online (56,8% and 53,5% respectively). Use of the Internet depended on age, education and place of residence of respondents. These factors did not have impact on accepting of the Internet as one of the main sources of health-related information

Conclusions: The parents of children suffering from chronic conditions more frequently use IT for general and health-related purposes than general population. Although they reveal relatively high satisfaction, there are still areas of care which could benefit from introduction of e‑health tools. However, there are still areas which could be supported or enhanced with e‑health solutions.