Older people and rural eHealth: perceptions of caring relations and their effects on engagement in digital primary health care.
Jens Lindberg, Robert Bhatt, Anton Ferm
PMID 33448031WHAT IT FOUND
Older people in rural Sweden said local nurses' physical presence and hands-on help made digital health care usable.
Remote digital care felt less authentic, and some avoided it.
Key findings
01Participants said in-person contact was central to good caring relations, and remote digital relations felt less authentic.
02Local Registered Nurses helped participants learn and continue digital health services through practical support and motivation.
03Some participants described using eHealth as a way to support the local community and nurses, not only themselves.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
19 participants in two small Swedish rural communities may not represent other settings. Recruitment relied on local Registered Nurses, so some participants may have agreed because the nurses asked them. Non-users were not interviewed, so views of people who rejected eHealth are missing. The study reports perceptions and themes, not measured effects of eHealth or nurse support. Interview setting varied, with some in homes and some at healthcare centres, and this affected the character of the interviews.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that eHealth increases engagement or that nurse support causes uptake. The study reports perceptions in two small Swedish communities and did not test a service or outcome.