Evaluation of the Compliance, Acceptance, and Usability of a Web-Based eHealth Intervention for Parents of Children With Infantile Hemangiomas: Usability Study

Abstract

BackgroundInfantile hemangiomas (IH) are common benign vascular tumors in children. Recognition and timely referral of high risk IH to specialized centers is important. This might be achieved by involving parents in the care for IH by means of an eHealth intervention.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to evaluate parent compliance, acceptance, and usability of an open access, Web-based eHealth intervention (including e-learning and e-consult) designed to increase parents’ knowledge and (risk) evaluation of IH.MethodsA cross-sectional study of parents who completed the eHealth intervention between October 2010 and November 2012 was carried out. All parents were sent a study questionnaire. Questions to evaluate compliance (to the advice given by a dermatologist during e-consultation) were asked. Acceptance and usability were evaluated by using the modified Technology Acceptance Model.ResultsA total of 224 parents completed the eHealth intervention and received the questionnaire, 135/224 parents responded (response rate was 60.3%). There were 128/135 questionnaires that were completed and included. A total of 110/128 (85.9%) parents were compliant to the advice of the dermatologist. There were 116.8/128 (91.3%) that perceived the eHealth intervention as useful and almost all parents (98.4%, 126/128) found the information in the e-learning clear. There were 29/128 (22.7%) that experienced technical problems. The majority of the parents (94.5%, 121/128) found the eHealth intervention reliable and most of them (98.4%, 126/128) would recommend the eHealth intervention to other parents. Noncompliant parents judged the eHealth intervention significantly less reliable compared to compliant parents (71%, 10/14 versus 97.3%, 107/110; P=.003).ConclusionsParents of children with an IH showed a high compliance (85.9%, 110/128) to the advice of the dermatologist given via our Web-based eHealth intervention. This high compliance might be positively influenced by the good acceptance and usability of the eHealth intervention and might result in timely presentation and treatment of children with high risk IH in specialized centers.

The role of digital communication in patient–clinician communication for NHS providers of specialist clinical services for young people [the Long-term conditions Young people Networked Communication (LYNC) study]: a mixed-methods study

“…[231][232][233][234]239,248 The majority of studies were conducted in the USA (17 studies 230,231,234,236,[238][239][240][241][242][243][244]246,248,255 ); other main locations were Australia (three studies 227,228,235 ), the Netherlands (three studies 245,247,249 ), Sweden (three studies 233,237,250 ) and the UK (two studies 232,256 ).…”

“…However, as authors may have described similar technologies using different names, there may be some overlap between categories. Videoconferencing or video consultation was the most frequently used tool (14 studies 227,228,233,235,236,238,[240][241][242][243][244]246,248,253 ), followed by e-mails or web messaging systems (13 studies 223,[229][230][231][232]234,[237][238][239]245,247,249,250,254,256 ). Other categories were web chat (two studies 239,255 ) and SMSs (one study 224 ).…”

“…Other categories were web chat (two studies 239,255 ) and SMSs (one study 224 ). The main categories of health-care professionals that were involved in the use of DCCs were therapists or CBT therapists (psychotherapist/psychologist) (11 studies 235,238,[240][241][242][243][244]251,[253][254][255], physicians (eight studies 223,[227][228][229]232,236,245,256 ) and nurses (six studies 233,234,239,248 ).…”

“…235,251 The majority of parent/carers found them easy to use 233,237,242,248 and the majority of parent/carers would recommend them to other parents. 245,251 No studies reported a difference in outcomes between the telehealth intervention and the control or alternative intervention group (e.g. telephone).…”

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“…In a recent study, Berk et al (2013) reported comparatively higher levels of agreement regarding the usefulness of a website containing guidelines for caregivers of adults with bipolar disorder. Likewise, a study on the acceptance of a web-based e-health intervention for parents of children with infantile hemangiomas showed higher agreement rates (de Graaf et al 2013). It is assumed, that the higher acceptance was due to the fact that the respective website was aimed at one target group (caregivers) and one narrowly defined topic (bipolar disorders, infantile hemangiomas).…”