The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions:   a study of stakeholders' perspectives

Holly Gwyther; Lex van Velsen; Rachel L Shaw; Barbara D'Avanzo; Maria Bujnowska-Fedak; Donata Kurpas; Katarzyna Szwamel; Jan-Willem Van't Klooster; Carol Holland

doi:10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6

The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions: a study of stakeholders' perspectives

Holly Gwyther, Lex van Velsen, Rachel L Shaw, Barbara D'Avanzo, Maria Bujnowska-Fedak, Donata Kurpas, Katarzyna Szwamel, Jan-Willem Van't Klooster, Carol Holland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Health and social care interventions show promise as a way of managing the progression of frailty in older adults. Information technology could improve the availability of interventions and services for older adults. The views of stakeholders on the acceptability of technological solutions for frailty screening and management have not been explored.

METHODS: Focus groups were used to gather data from healthy and frail/pre-frail older adults, health and social care providers, and caregivers in three European countries - Italy, Poland and UK. Data were analysed using framework analysis in terms of facilitators or determinants of older adults' adoption of technology.

RESULTS: Our findings clustered around the perceived value; usability, affordability and accessibility; and emotional benefits of frailty screening and management technology to stakeholders. We also noted issues relating to social support, previous experience of technology and confidence of stakeholders.

CONCLUSIONS: Professionals and caregivers understand the benefits of technology to facilitate frailty care pathways but these views are tempered by concerns around social isolation. Frail older adults raised legitimate concerns about the accessibility and usability of technology, specifically around the potential for their personal information to be compromised. Solutions must be developed within a framework that addresses social contexts and avoids stigma around frailty and ageing.

Original language	English
Article number	110
Journal	BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Volume	19
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6
Publication status	Published - 11 Jun 2019

Bibliographical note

© The Author(s). 2019 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

Keywords

Disease management
Educational technology
Frailty
Older adults
Technology

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Cite this

Gwyther, H., van Velsen, L., Shaw, R. L., D'Avanzo, B., Bujnowska-Fedak, M., Kurpas, D., Szwamel, K., Van't Klooster, J.-W., & Holland, C. (2019). The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions: a study of stakeholders' perspectives. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 19(1), Article 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6

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title = "The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions: a study of stakeholders' perspectives",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Health and social care interventions show promise as a way of managing the progression of frailty in older adults. Information technology could improve the availability of interventions and services for older adults. The views of stakeholders on the acceptability of technological solutions for frailty screening and management have not been explored.METHODS: Focus groups were used to gather data from healthy and frail/pre-frail older adults, health and social care providers, and caregivers in three European countries - Italy, Poland and UK. Data were analysed using framework analysis in terms of facilitators or determinants of older adults' adoption of technology.RESULTS: Our findings clustered around the perceived value; usability, affordability and accessibility; and emotional benefits of frailty screening and management technology to stakeholders. We also noted issues relating to social support, previous experience of technology and confidence of stakeholders.CONCLUSIONS: Professionals and caregivers understand the benefits of technology to facilitate frailty care pathways but these views are tempered by concerns around social isolation. Frail older adults raised legitimate concerns about the accessibility and usability of technology, specifically around the potential for their personal information to be compromised. Solutions must be developed within a framework that addresses social contexts and avoids stigma around frailty and ageing.",

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note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s). 2019 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

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Gwyther, H, van Velsen, L, Shaw, RL, D'Avanzo, B, Bujnowska-Fedak, M, Kurpas, D, Szwamel, K, Van't Klooster, J-W & Holland, C 2019, 'The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions: a study of stakeholders' perspectives', BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, vol. 19, no. 1, 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - The use of technology in the context of frailty screening and management interventions

T2 - a study of stakeholders' perspectives

AU - Gwyther, Holly

AU - van Velsen, Lex

AU - Shaw, Rachel L

AU - D'Avanzo, Barbara

AU - Bujnowska-Fedak, Maria

AU - Kurpas, Donata

AU - Szwamel, Katarzyna

AU - Van't Klooster, Jan-Willem

AU - Holland, Carol

N1 - © The Author(s). 2019 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

PY - 2019/6/11

Y1 - 2019/6/11

N2 - BACKGROUND: Health and social care interventions show promise as a way of managing the progression of frailty in older adults. Information technology could improve the availability of interventions and services for older adults. The views of stakeholders on the acceptability of technological solutions for frailty screening and management have not been explored.METHODS: Focus groups were used to gather data from healthy and frail/pre-frail older adults, health and social care providers, and caregivers in three European countries - Italy, Poland and UK. Data were analysed using framework analysis in terms of facilitators or determinants of older adults' adoption of technology.RESULTS: Our findings clustered around the perceived value; usability, affordability and accessibility; and emotional benefits of frailty screening and management technology to stakeholders. We also noted issues relating to social support, previous experience of technology and confidence of stakeholders.CONCLUSIONS: Professionals and caregivers understand the benefits of technology to facilitate frailty care pathways but these views are tempered by concerns around social isolation. Frail older adults raised legitimate concerns about the accessibility and usability of technology, specifically around the potential for their personal information to be compromised. Solutions must be developed within a framework that addresses social contexts and avoids stigma around frailty and ageing.

AB - BACKGROUND: Health and social care interventions show promise as a way of managing the progression of frailty in older adults. Information technology could improve the availability of interventions and services for older adults. The views of stakeholders on the acceptability of technological solutions for frailty screening and management have not been explored.METHODS: Focus groups were used to gather data from healthy and frail/pre-frail older adults, health and social care providers, and caregivers in three European countries - Italy, Poland and UK. Data were analysed using framework analysis in terms of facilitators or determinants of older adults' adoption of technology.RESULTS: Our findings clustered around the perceived value; usability, affordability and accessibility; and emotional benefits of frailty screening and management technology to stakeholders. We also noted issues relating to social support, previous experience of technology and confidence of stakeholders.CONCLUSIONS: Professionals and caregivers understand the benefits of technology to facilitate frailty care pathways but these views are tempered by concerns around social isolation. Frail older adults raised legitimate concerns about the accessibility and usability of technology, specifically around the potential for their personal information to be compromised. Solutions must be developed within a framework that addresses social contexts and avoids stigma around frailty and ageing.

KW - Disease management

KW - Educational technology

KW - Frailty

KW - Older adults

KW - Technology

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U2 - 10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6

DO - 10.1186/s12911-019-0828-6

M3 - Review article

C2 - 31186018

SN - 1472-6947

VL - 19

JO - BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

JF - BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

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