Patients' Perspectives, Factors, and Patterns of eHealth Use in Kidney Transplant Recipients

James Tang; Martin Howell; Vincent W Lee; Chandana Guha; Amanda Dominello; Simon Roger; Karen Keung; Armando Teixeira-Pinto; Allison Tong; Germaine Wong

doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2023.01.007

Patients' Perspectives, Factors, and Patterns of eHealth Use in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Kidney Int Rep. 2023 Jan 20;8(4):727-736. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2023.01.007. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

James Tang^{1

2}, Martin Howell^{1

2}, Vincent W Lee^{1

2}, Chandana Guha^{1

2}, Amanda Dominello^{1

2}, Simon Roger³, Karen Keung⁴, Armando Teixeira-Pinto^{1

2}, Allison Tong^{1

2}, Germaine Wong^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
² Centre for Kidney Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Renal Research, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Introduction: eHealth supports the delivery of relevant health information and management of chronic disease. However, little is known about patients' perspectives and the determinants of eHealth use among kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: Kidney transplant recipients aged 18 years and older from 3 transplant units in Australia and the Better Evidence and Translation in Chronic Kidney Disease consumer network completed a survey with free-text responses relating to eHealth uptake. Multivariable regression modeling was used to determine the factors associated with eHealth use. Free-text responses were thematically analyzed.

Results: Of the 117 participants who were invited in person and who responded to the email, 91 completed the survey. Sixty-three participants (69%) were current eHealth users (active use of eHealth tools), and 91% had access to eHealth devices, including smartphones (81%) and computers (59%). Most (98%) reported that eHealth improves posttransplant care. Factors associated with increased eHealth use (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) were higher eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) score (1.21 [1.06-1.38]) and tertiary education (7.78 [2.19-27.7]). We identified the following 3 themes on eHealth determinants: (i) empowering self-management, (ii) enhancing health services, and (iii) technology burden.

Conclusions: Transplant recipients believe that eHealth interventions have the potential to improve their posttransplant care. eHealth interventions should meet the needs of all transplant recipients and be accessible to those with lower educational attainment.

Keywords: digital health; eHealth; transplant.