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“In a Way We Took the Hospital Home”—A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study of Parents’ Usage and Experiences of eHealth for Self-Management after Hospital Discharge Due to Pediatric Surgery or Preterm Birth

Lindkvist, Rose Marie LU orcid ; Sjöström-Strand, Annica LU ; Landgren, Kajsa LU ; Johnsson, Björn A. LU orcid ; Stenström, Pernilla LU orcid and Hallström, Inger Kristensson LU (2021) In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(12).
Abstract

The costly and complex needs for children with long-term illness are challenging. Safe eHealth communication is warranted to facilitate health improvement and care services. This mixed-methods study aimed to describe parents’ usage and experiences of communicating with professionals during hospital-to-home-transition after their child’s preterm birth or surgery for col-orectal malformations, using an eHealth device, specifically designed for communication and support via nurses at the hospital. The eHealth devices included the possibility for daily reports, video calls, text messaging, and sending images. Interviews with 25 parents were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Usage data from eHealth devices were compiled from... (More)

The costly and complex needs for children with long-term illness are challenging. Safe eHealth communication is warranted to facilitate health improvement and care services. This mixed-methods study aimed to describe parents’ usage and experiences of communicating with professionals during hospital-to-home-transition after their child’s preterm birth or surgery for col-orectal malformations, using an eHealth device, specifically designed for communication and support via nurses at the hospital. The eHealth devices included the possibility for daily reports, video calls, text messaging, and sending images. Interviews with 25 parents were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Usage data from eHealth devices were compiled from database entries and analyzed statistically. Parents using the eHealth device expressed reduced worry and stress during the initial period at home through effective and safe communication. Benefits described included keeping track of their child’s progress and having easy access to support whenever needed. This was corroborated by usage data indicating that contact was made throughout the day, and more among families living far away from hospital. The eHealth device potentially replaced phone calls and prevented unnecessary visits. The eHealth technique can aid safe self-treatment within child-and family-centered care in neonatal and pediatric surgery treatment. Future research may consider organization perspectives and health economics.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
App, EHealth, Home-based care, Hospital-to-home transition, Neonatal care, Pediatric surgery, Preterm born, Tablet
in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
volume
18
issue
12
article number
6480
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:34203985
  • scopus:85107840598
ISSN
1661-7827
DOI
10.3390/ijerph18126480
project
eHealth as an aid for facilitating and supporting self-management in families with long-term childhood illness – development, evaluation and implementation in clinical practice
E-Health in neonatal care
Tablets as part of e-health - a safe bridge between the hospital and the home of the newly operated child?
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0f7e334b-1278-4739-928c-9e2444a43ccc
date added to LUP
2021-06-28 13:46:03
date last changed
2024-04-20 08:02:10
@article{0f7e334b-1278-4739-928c-9e2444a43ccc,
  abstract     = {{<p>The costly and complex needs for children with long-term illness are challenging. Safe eHealth communication is warranted to facilitate health improvement and care services. This mixed-methods study aimed to describe parents’ usage and experiences of communicating with professionals during hospital-to-home-transition after their child’s preterm birth or surgery for col-orectal malformations, using an eHealth device, specifically designed for communication and support via nurses at the hospital. The eHealth devices included the possibility for daily reports, video calls, text messaging, and sending images. Interviews with 25 parents were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Usage data from eHealth devices were compiled from database entries and analyzed statistically. Parents using the eHealth device expressed reduced worry and stress during the initial period at home through effective and safe communication. Benefits described included keeping track of their child’s progress and having easy access to support whenever needed. This was corroborated by usage data indicating that contact was made throughout the day, and more among families living far away from hospital. The eHealth device potentially replaced phone calls and prevented unnecessary visits. The eHealth technique can aid safe self-treatment within child-and family-centered care in neonatal and pediatric surgery treatment. Future research may consider organization perspectives and health economics.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindkvist, Rose Marie and Sjöström-Strand, Annica and Landgren, Kajsa and Johnsson, Björn A. and Stenström, Pernilla and Hallström, Inger Kristensson}},
  issn         = {{1661-7827}},
  keywords     = {{App; EHealth; Home-based care; Hospital-to-home transition; Neonatal care; Pediatric surgery; Preterm born; Tablet}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
  title        = {{“In a Way We Took the Hospital Home”—A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study of Parents’ Usage and Experiences of eHealth for Self-Management after Hospital Discharge Due to Pediatric Surgery or Preterm Birth}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126480}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijerph18126480}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}