Online Health Information Tool Effectiveness for Older Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Online health information tools (OHITs) have been found to be effective in improving health outcomes. However, the effectiveness of these tools for older patients has been far from clear. This systematic literature review therefore provides an overview of online health information tool effectiveness for older patients using a two-dimensional framework of OHIT functions (i.e., providing information, enhancing information exchange, and promoting self-management) and outcomes (i.e., immediate, intermediate, and long-term outcomes). Comprehensive searches of the PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases are conducted to identify eligible studies. Articles describing outcomes of patient-directed OHITs in which a mean sample or subgroup of age ≥65 years was used are included in the literature review. A best evidence synthesis analysis provides evidence that OHITs improve self-efficacy, blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, and cholesterol levels. Limited evidence is found in support of OHIT effects on knowledge, perceived social support, health service utilization, glycemic control, self-care adherence, exercise performance, endurance, and quality of life. OHITs seem promising tools to facilitate immediate, intermediate, and long-term outcomes in older patients by providing information, enhancing information exchange, and promoting self-management. However, future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of OHITs for older patients to achieve stronger levels of evidence.

A Systematic Review of Literature Reporting on Studies Analysing Technologies for Ageing in Place to Support Community-Dwelling Older Adults

“…• General-purpose information technologies, including mobile communications (Fry and Neff, 2009;Bolle et al, 2015;Blackman et al 2013;Geraedts et al, 2013;Buchholz, Wilbur, Ingram and Fogg, 2013;Foster et al, 2013;Buhi et al 2013;Chen and Schulz, 2016), messaging (e.g. mail or chat) (Foster et al, 2013), (Kennedy et al, 2012;Hawley-Hague et al, 2014).…”

“…Physical Activity (Fry and Neff, 2009;Kennedy et al, 2012;Blackman et al 2013;Geraedts et al, 2013;Buchholz et al, 2013;Foster et al, 2013;Bort-Roig et al, 2014;Mateo et al, 2015;Bert et al, 2014;Matthews et al, 2016;Beishuizen et al, 2016) Nutrition and Weight Management (Fry & Neff, 2009;Ngo et al, 2009;Kelders et al, 2011;Lieffers and Hanning, 2012;Vegting et al, 2014;Mateo et al, 2015;Laranjo et al, 2014;Bardus et al, 2015;Bert et al, 2014) Health Education (Fox, 2009;Kennedy et al, 2012;Bolle et al, 2015;Buhi et al 2013;Moorhead et al, 2013;Laranjo et al, 2014;Bert et al, 2014;Shingleton and Palfai, 2016 …”

“…This is a possibility of potentially improving health outcomes, through collaboration and social interaction mechanism (i.e. information exchange to promote knowledge, selfmanagement, perceived social support and health service utilization (Bolle et al, 2015)), which brings a new dimension to health care for a wide range of individuals.…”

“…Therefore, eight reviews reported the use of technologies for ageing in place for citizens' education (Fox, 2009;Kennedy et al, 2012;Bolle et al, 2015;Buhi et al 2013;Moorhead et al, 2013;Laranjo et al, 2014;Bert et al, 2014;Shingleton and Palfai, 2016), covered a diverse population in terms of age, gender, education level, health status and healthcare intervention or disease state, and making use of different technologies, namely social media (e.g. Wiki, YouTube, Facebook, blogs, twitter and Myspace (Moorhead et al, 2013)) or personal health records to tailor personalized information.…”

Using information and communication technology in the recovery after a coronary artery bypass graft surgery: patients’ attitudes

“…New media play an increasing role in the everyday life even for older individuals, as they extensively use the Internet, patient portals, and mobile phone applications to search for health-related information 14. In a systematic review, Bolle et al14 found that Internet-based information tools might be effective in improving self-efficacy in older patients.…”