A questionnaire for the assessment of patients' impressions of the risks and benefits of home telecare

• Published in: Journal of telemedicine and telecare 2000-01, Vol.6 (5), p.278-284
• Main Authors: Demiris, G, Speedie, S, Finkelstein, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitude to Health; Confidentiality; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Home Care Services - organization & administration; Home Care Services - standards; Humans; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Telemedicine
• ISSN: 1357-633X; 1758-1109
• DOI: 10.1258/1357633001935914

Home telecare is a promising method of improving access to care for rural and urban populations. It requires, however, that patients accept the installation and use of equipment in their home. How patients perceive home telecare may influence its acceptability and diffusion. We developed a questionnaire to assess patients' impressions of the risks and benefits of home telecare. A preliminary 20-item questionnaire was developed and tested on 32 subjects. It proved to be of acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.8) and validity, but three items appeared to be redundant. The final 17-item version was tested twice on 10 more subjects and was found to have high test-retest reliability. Most subjects showed an overall positive attitude towards home telecare and agreed it could improve their health. Many were concerned about being able to trust the equipment. The questionnaire can be used to investigate the acceptance of telemedicine and to improve the design of applications.