The Influence of Digital Affinity on the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System Choice by People With Type 1 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Since several years, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems became a standard of care in patients with intensified conventional treatment (ICT) in many countries. CGM results in an ongoing record of digital information that provides an added value to patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and healthcare providers, among others. This implies the patient's acceptance of data analyses and storage and an adjustment on self-management. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of digital affinity on the CGM use and the choice of a particular system.

METHODS

In a quantitative survey 2102 patients with T1D were interviewed via an online questionnaire. The study is based on the technology acceptance model (TAM). Self-assessment of digital affinity was correlated with various features of CGM use and preferences. Significance of associations and correlations was tested.

RESULTS

Digital affinity correlated positively with CGM use for the self-management with ICT. Significant differences were found regarding the use of a particular system suggesting a correlation between digital affinity and the complexity of CGM data portrayal and interconnectivity with smart devices (eg, smartwatches).

CONCLUSIONS

While suppliers of CGM systems focus on progress regarding the ease of use of their systems, they also provide a developing interconnectivity with smart devices and cloud-based data storage. This requires a higher digital affinity among users. While factors such as recommendations by physicians and coverage by health insurance companies have an impact on the system choice, the data demonstrate a correlation between digital affinity and particular CGM systems.

Design of an Integrated Acceptance Framework for Older Users and eHealth: Influential Factor Analysis

Background

eHealth and telehealth play a crucial role in assisting older adults who visit hospitals frequently or who live in nursing homes and can benefit from staying at home while being cared for. Adapting to new technologies can be difficult for older people. Thus, to better apply these technologies to older adults’ lives, many studies have analyzed the acceptance factors for this particular population. However, there is not yet a consensual framework that can be used in further development and to search for solutions.

Objective

This paper aims to present an integrated acceptance framework (IAF) for older users’ acceptance of eHealth based on 43 studies selected through a systematic review.

Methods

We conducted a 4-step study. First, through a systematic review in the field of eHealth from 2010 to 2020, the acceptance factors and basic data for analysis were extracted. Second, we conducted a thematic analysis to group the factors into themes to propose an integrated framework for acceptance. Third, we defined a metric to evaluate the impact of the factors addressed in the studies. Finally, the differences among the important IAF factors were analyzed according to the participants’ health conditions, verification time, and year.

Results

Through a systematic review, 731 studies were found in 5 major databases, resulting in 43 (5.9%) selected studies using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology. First, the research methods and acceptance factors for eHealth were compared and analyzed, extracting a total of 105 acceptance factors, which were grouped later, resulting in an IAF. A total of 5 dimensions (ie, personal, user–technology relational, technological, service-related, and environmental) emerged, with a total of 23 factors. In addition, we assessed the quality of evidence and then conducted a stratification analysis to reveal the more appropriate factors depending on the health condition and assessment time. Finally, we assessed the factors and dimensions that have recently become more important.

Conclusions

The result of this investigation is a framework for conducting research on eHealth acceptance. To elaborately analyze the impact of the factors of the proposed framework, the criteria for evaluating the evidence from the studies that have the extracted factors are presented. Through this process, the impact of each factor in the IAF has been presented, in addition to the framework proposal. Moreover, a meta-analysis of the current status of research is presented, highlighting the areas where specific measures are needed to facilitate eHealth acceptance.

Predictors of Seniors' Interest in Assistive Applications on Smartphones: Evidence from a Population-Based Survey in Slovenia

Assistive applications (apps) on smartphones could contribute to a better quality of life for seniors living independently at home. At present, there is a lack of empirical evidence of seniors’ acceptance of such apps. The Cycle of Technology Acquirement by Independent-Living Seniors (C-TAILS) model was recently proposed for studying the interplay between acceptance factors by integrating the personal, social and technological domains of seniors’ daily lives. This study aimed to explore how four groups of factors, clustered in accordance with the C-TAILS model, predict seniors’ interest in assistive apps, on a representative sample of the Slovenian population aged 55 years or older. The 617 respondents, who were contacted though a telephone survey, answered a questionnaire about their interest in three groups of assistive apps and four groups of potentially associated acceptance factors. Three linear regression models were used to analyse the association between the factors and the seniors’ interest in the three types of assistive apps. Smartphone-related dispositional traits were the strongest predictors across all three models. Among mobile phone usage patterns, smartphone use and the breadth of mobile phone features used were significant factors, while the significance of seniors’ personal characteristics and socio-economic conditions varied across the models. Hence, awareness that these factors play different roles in the acceptance of different assistive apps is needed in order to design viable interventions for their acceptance among seniors.