Adapting to the medium and the message : willingness and confidence of COPD patients to use electonic deivces for health information management

With increasing need to serve more patients with chronic disease in a context of limited access to rehabilitation services, using electronic devices to deliver information and health programs is a logical next step. However, internet and electronic device use decreases with increased age. In this paper we use COPD patients as an example of older patients who could benefit from post-rehabilitation support. COPD patients are typically >65 years of age, and have a strong need for on-going informational and motivational support to manage their condition and maintain physical activity after pulmonary rehabilitation. This paper explores the idea that device use and health behaviours might be separate targets of training and intervention. Also, we explore how social cognitive variables (e.g., self-efficacy and attitudes) relate to using the internet and devices. Data collected from a survey of pulmonary rehabilitation patients regarding internet and device use indicated they have a strong willingness to use electronic devices, prefer email applications, but have low self-efficacy for using them. The data also showed that instrumental attitudes for device use and health behaviours are rated higher than affective attitudes. As such, there is potential for a more cost-effective delivery of information and advice, but there is a need to adapt to the medium and to the message to produce successful behaviour change.