Comparison of the level of eHealth literacy between patients with COPD and registered nurses with interest in pulmonary diseases

Abstract

Background: This study examines the level of eHealth literacy (eHL) of COPD patients and registered nurses (RN) prior to the implementation of a new national telehealth service. The objective was to provide the nurses with an understanding of eHL and to provide knowledge about the patients’ eHL level, socio-demographic characteristics, and digital behaviour for the nurses to be better able to support the patients’ adoption and usage of telehealth. Method: The eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ) was administered in an outpatient clinic in February and March 2020 (N = 42). The staff-eHLQ was administered by web in November 2019 and at a conference in January 2020 (N = 39). The RNs were asked about workplace and experience with telehealth and the patients about gender, age, and educational level as well as their digital health behaviour.A multiple linear regression analysis tested for relations between the socio-demographic and digital behaviour variables and the eHLQ-scores for the COPD patients. Results: The RNs’ eHLQ-scores relating to engagement with information, motivation, and experience with digital services signified an insufficient eHL level which may influence their ability to motivate and promote the usage of telehealth to patients.The patients’ scores were higher than the RNs’ with respect to motivation and experience with digital services but seemed to have an insufficient level in relation to using technology to process information and actively engage with digital services. Conclusion: The patients need support in relation to processing information and interacting with services. The RNs’ eHLQ-scores being lower than the patients are problematic as it may influence how well they are able to support the adoption of the new telehealth service.

Keywords

• eHealth literacy
• COPD patients
• Telehealth
• Nurses
• Sociodemographic