Utilisation of the web-based Home Assessment Tool among patients with COVID-19 in Selangor, Malaysia: An observational study

• Published in: Malaysian family physician 2024, Vol.19, p.19-6
• Main Authors: Farhani, Samat, Roslina, Abdul Jalil, Nik Mazlina, Mohammad, Noor Hasliza, Hassan, Lih Bing, Lau, Noorul Amilin, Sulaiman, Zienna Zufida, Zainol Rashid, Siti Khalimah, Rosnan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Citizenship; COVID-19; Demographics; home isolation; Medical personnel; Observational studies; Olfaction disorders; Original; Pandemics; Quarantine; Regression analysis; Self report; Taste disorders; web-based intervention
• ISSN: 1985-207X; 1985-2274; 1985-2274
• DOI: 10.51866/oa.205

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many countries to turn to web-based solutions. The Home Assessment Tool (HAT) is a web-based system using the MySejahtera application developed by the government. It serves as a communication platform for patients with COVID-19 to self-monitor their clinical symptoms and enables authorised healthcare personnel to access and manage collected data for clinical monitoring. Our study aimed to examine the utilisation of this internet-based tool among patients with COVID-19 in Selangor. Methods: This observational study analysed secondary data from the self-reported HAT within MySejahtera. It included all patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 through molecular assays such as RT-PCR or RTK-Ag on 1–21 February 2021, aged ≥18 years and residing in Selangor. Patients who had documented their symptoms at least once in the HAT during the prescribed 10-day isolation period were classified as HAT users. Results: A total of 4438 patients were included, of whom 39.4% were HAT users, while 60.6% were non-HAT users. Logistic regression analysis revealed three significant factors associated with low utilisation of the HAT: absence of medical condition (odds ratio [OR]: 9.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.49–12.01), advanced age (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.20–1.52) and non-Malaysian citizenship (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 2.50–4.72). Conclusion: The utilisation of the HAT is low, which is associated with advanced age (≥65 years), absence of medical conditions and foreign nationality. It is imperative to develop inventive strategies tailored to address the unique needs of these particular demographics.