Perspectives of Older Adults on Self-Care of Chronic Diseases Utilizing Online Health Resources: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study.
Yu Xuan Lim, Xin Yi Yap, Raven Viel Calangian Domingo and 3 others
PMID 39914830WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults in Singapore with chronic diseases trusted doctors, family and friends more than online health information, but were wary of scams and unsure how to judge websites.
They wanted guidance to use technology safely.
Key findings
01Participants mainly got chronic disease advice from friends and family, and trusted doctors and other familiar sources over general online information.
02They avoided or doubted online health resources because of scam fears, low digital literacy, and too much conflicting information.
03Despite barriers, participants were eager to learn disease-specific information and became more open to online resources when they saw practical value.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 20 older adults from four Singapore centres were interviewed, and most were female, Chinese, and able to perform daily activities independently, so the themes may not apply to people with cognitive impairment, mobility aids, other languages, or more severe disease. The study was qualitative and asked about perceptions, so it cannot show that online resources, workshops, or patient education improve chronic disease outcomes. Participants were recruited through centre managers, so they may already be engaged with community services and less representative of isolated older adults. The authors note that transcripts were not returned to participants for review because of literacy concerns, although they report member checking and repeated listening.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that online health resources or education workshops improve older adults' chronic disease outcomes. The study described perceptions from a small group and tested no intervention.