Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Factors influencing primary care physicians recommending patients to use digital health technologies for self-management : A cross-sectional study across 20 countries

Odunlami, Wuraola Oluwayomi ; Li, Edmond ; Greenfield, Geva ; Kerr, Gabriele ; El-Osta, Austen ; Tsopra, Rosy ; Lingner, Heidrun ; Memarian, Ensieh LU ; Hoffman, Robert and Nessler, Katarzyna , et al. (2025) In European Journal of General Practice 31(1).
Abstract

Background: Expanding access to self-management via Digital Health Technologies may supplement traditional care, mitigating pressures on primary care through self-management. Primary Care Physicians (PCP) can play a critical role in the integration of digital health technologies into patient care, but it is unclear what factors influence PCPs’ recommendation of such technologies. Aims: To identify the factors associated with PCPs recommending digital health technologies to patients for self-management before and during the pandemic. Methods: PCPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June and September 2020. The outcome was a self-report of recommending patients to at least one of six listed forms of digital... (More)

Background: Expanding access to self-management via Digital Health Technologies may supplement traditional care, mitigating pressures on primary care through self-management. Primary Care Physicians (PCP) can play a critical role in the integration of digital health technologies into patient care, but it is unclear what factors influence PCPs’ recommendation of such technologies. Aims: To identify the factors associated with PCPs recommending digital health technologies to patients for self-management before and during the pandemic. Methods: PCPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June and September 2020. The outcome was a self-report of recommending patients to at least one of six listed forms of digital health technologies. Univariable logistic regression models were performed to explore factors associated with recommending digital health technologies to patients before and during the pandemic. Results: 1,592 PCPs were included. Before the pandemic, the odds of recommending digital health technologies for self-management were lower for PCPs not involved in teaching, or practising in Turkey, Australia, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. During the pandemic, PCPs practising in rural settings had higher odds of starting to recommend digital health technologies, as well as those from Brazil, Colombia, and Italy. There was no significant difference in recommending digital health technologies before and during the pandemic. Conclusions: Involvement in teaching (pre-pandemic) and practising in a rural setting (during the pandemic) positively influenced the recommendation of digital health technologies. Significant variation in recommending digital health technologies was present across countries.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cross-sectional studies, Digital health technologies, healthcare technologies, primary care, self-management, survey-based studies
in
European Journal of General Practice
volume
31
issue
1
article number
2555819
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:40948455
  • scopus:105016053226
ISSN
1381-4788
DOI
10.1080/13814788.2025.2555819
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9a2813ef-9c16-4cda-acfe-aad20e45894c
date added to LUP
2025-11-12 11:43:13
date last changed
2025-11-13 03:00:07
@article{9a2813ef-9c16-4cda-acfe-aad20e45894c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Expanding access to self-management via Digital Health Technologies may supplement traditional care, mitigating pressures on primary care through self-management. Primary Care Physicians (PCP) can play a critical role in the integration of digital health technologies into patient care, but it is unclear what factors influence PCPs’ recommendation of such technologies. Aims: To identify the factors associated with PCPs recommending digital health technologies to patients for self-management before and during the pandemic. Methods: PCPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June and September 2020. The outcome was a self-report of recommending patients to at least one of six listed forms of digital health technologies. Univariable logistic regression models were performed to explore factors associated with recommending digital health technologies to patients before and during the pandemic. Results: 1,592 PCPs were included. Before the pandemic, the odds of recommending digital health technologies for self-management were lower for PCPs not involved in teaching, or practising in Turkey, Australia, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. During the pandemic, PCPs practising in rural settings had higher odds of starting to recommend digital health technologies, as well as those from Brazil, Colombia, and Italy. There was no significant difference in recommending digital health technologies before and during the pandemic. Conclusions: Involvement in teaching (pre-pandemic) and practising in a rural setting (during the pandemic) positively influenced the recommendation of digital health technologies. Significant variation in recommending digital health technologies was present across countries.</p>}},
  author       = {{Odunlami, Wuraola Oluwayomi and Li, Edmond and Greenfield, Geva and Kerr, Gabriele and El-Osta, Austen and Tsopra, Rosy and Lingner, Heidrun and Memarian, Ensieh and Hoffman, Robert and Nessler, Katarzyna and Jimenez, Geronimo and Collins, Claire and Petek, Davorina and Clavería, Ana and Fernández, Maria José and Gusso, Gustavo and Ungan, Mehmet and Irving, Greg and Laranjo, Liliana and Ghafur, Saira and Fontana, Gianluca and Car, Josip and Hayhoe, Benedict and Majeed, Azeem and Neves, Ana Luisa}},
  issn         = {{1381-4788}},
  keywords     = {{cross-sectional studies; Digital health technologies; healthcare technologies; primary care; self-management; survey-based studies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{European Journal of General Practice}},
  title        = {{Factors influencing primary care physicians recommending patients to use digital health technologies for self-management : A cross-sectional study across 20 countries}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2025.2555819}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13814788.2025.2555819}},
  volume       = {{31}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}