Dataset Information

Patterns of Internet and smartphone use by parents of children with chronic kidney disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Smartphones have become a part of universal technology by combining mobile and handheld functions, enabling expanded access to health information sources available on the Internet. The purpose of this study was to describe the pattern of smartphones and Internet use to search for health information by parents of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was applied to 111 parents of patients in a Brazilian pediatric nephrology center. Descriptive assessments were performed on Internet use patterns, and associative analyses were made of the influence of the smartphone use pattern on the search for health information.

Results

Of the 111 participants, 91% (101/111) accessed the Internet, 88% (89/101) searched for health information, and 90% (80/89) searched for CKD information. Smartphones were the most commonly used devices to access the Internet. There was no significant difference between age groups, schooling levels, places of residence and smartphone use to search information about CKD. Physicians continue to be primary sources of information (87%, 88/101), but now they share space with the Internet, which surpassed traditional sources such as books and other health professionals. There seems to be some discomfort on the part of the parents in admitting their research habit to the physician, considering that 65% (52/80) said they did not discuss the fact that they had looked for information on the Internet with their doctor. Obtaining more information about the disease and gaining knowledge regarding its complications were the main reasons that led to performing a search on the Internet, whose results were considered useful by 93% (74/80).

Conclusion

Parents of children with CKD have been using the Internet largely through smartphones to research about CKD, irrespective of age, schooling and place of residence. Given its wide use, the Internet can be an important vehicle for health education and contribute to providing the support needed by parents and patients to cope with the disease.

SUBMITTER: Garrido D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6372181 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Patterns of Internet and smartphone use by parents of children with chronic kidney disease.

Garrido Deise D Watanabe Andreia A Ciamponi Ana Lídia AL Couto Taciana Mara TM Alves Levy Anderson César LAC Haddad Ana Estela AE

PloS one 20190212 2

<h4>Background</h4>Smartphones have become a part of universal technology by combining mobile and handheld functions, enabling expanded access to health information sources available on the Internet. The purpose of this study was to describe the pattern of smartphones and Internet use to search for health information by parents of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).<h4>Methods</h4>In a cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was applied to 111 parents of patients in a Brazilian pediatric ...[more]

PMID: 30753212

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Project description:Background and objectivesInternet-based technologies play an increasingly important role in the management and outcome of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The healthcare system is currently flooded with digital innovations and internet-based technologies as a consequence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, information about the attitude of German CKD-patients with access to online tools towards the use of remote, internet-based interactions such as video conferencing, email, electronic medical records and apps in general and for health issues in particular, are missing.Design, setting, participants, and measurementsTo address the use, habits and willingness of CKD patients in handling internet-based technologies we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey in adults with CKD.ResultsWe used 380 questionnaires from adult CKD patients (47.6% on dialysis, 43.7% transplanted and 8.7% CKD before renal replacement therapy) for analysis. Of these 18.9% denied using the internet at all (nonusers). Nonusers were significantly older (74.4 years, SD 11.4) than users (54.5 years, SD 14.5, p < 0.001), had a lower educational level than users (≥ 12 years: 6.9% versus 47.1%, p < 0.001) and were more often on dialysis. Within the group of internet users only a minority (2.6%) was using video conferencing with their physician, only 11.7% stated that they were using email to report symptoms and 26.6% were using the internet to schedule appointments. Slightly more than one-third of internet users (35.1%) are concerned that their personal medical data are not safe when submitted via the internet.ConclusionsWithin our group of German CKD-patients we found that almost one out of five patients, especially older patients and patients with a lower educational level, did not use the internet at all. The majority of internet users reported in our survey that they have not used internet-based technologies within a medical context so far, but are willing to consider it. Therefore, it seems to be important to introduce and teach motivated CKD-patients the use and benefits of simple and safe internet-based health care technologies.

Project description:BackgroundParents of children with rare conditions increasingly use the Internet to source information on their child's condition. This study reports on part of a larger study whose overall aim was to identify the Internet use by parents when seeking information on their child's rare condition, with the specific purpose of using the findings to aid in the development of a website specifically designed to meet the parents' needs. It presents findings on why these parents use the Internet, the information and support content they source, and the impact these resources have on their capacity to care for and manage their child's condition.ObjectiveTo (1) ascertain parents' general Internet usage patterns, (2) identify the nature of the information parents most frequently searched for, and (3) determine the effect the Internet-sourced information had on parents of children with rare conditions.MethodsData collection was conducted in 2 parts: Part 1 was a focus group interview (n=8) to inform the development of the questionnaire, and Part 2 was a questionnaire (Web- and paper-based). All respondents (N=128) completed the questionnaire using the Internet.ResultsParents frequently and habitually used the Internet and social media to gather information on their child's condition. These Web-based resources provide parents with a parent-to-parent support platform that allows them to share their experiences and information with other parents, which, the respondents considered, improved their knowledge and understanding of their child's condition. The respondents also reported that these resources positively impacted on their decision making, care, and management of their child's condition. However, they reported receiving mixed responses when wishing to engage and share with health care professionals their Internet and social media interactions and information outcomes.ConclusionsThis study adds to the emerging body of research on the Internet use by parents of children with rare conditions to source information on their child's condition. The evolving and ever increasing parent-to-parent support systems via social media are impacting on parents' capacity to manage their children. Implications for practice include health care professionals' response to this knowledge and capacity shift, and the significance of these changes when interacting with parents. The key message of this study was that parents of children with rare conditions are habitual users of the Internet to source information about their children's conditions. Social media, especially Facebook, has an increasing role in the lives of these parents for information and support. Parents' interest in information gathering and sharing includes a desire for shared dialogue with health care professionals.

Project description:To characterize the distribution of blood pressure (BP), prevalence, and risk factors for hypertension in pediatric chronic kidney disease, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline BPs in 432 children (mean age 11 years; 60% male; mean glomerular filtration rate 44 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)) enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children cohort study. BPs were obtained using an aneroid sphygmomanometer. Glomerular filtration rate was measured by iohexol disappearance. Elevated BP was defined as BP >or=90th percentile for age, gender, and height. Hypertension was defined as BP >or=95th percentile or as self-reported hypertension plus current treatment with antihypertensive medications. For systolic BP, 14% were hypertensive and 11% were prehypertensive (BP 90th to 95th percentile); 68% of subjects with elevated systolic BP were taking antihypertensive medications. For diastolic BP, 14% were hypertensive and 9% were prehypertensive; 53% of subjects with elevated diastolic BP were taking antihypertensive medications. Fifty-four percent of subjects had either systolic or diastolic BP >or=95th percentile or a history of hypertension plus current antihypertensive use. Characteristics associated with elevated BP included black race, shorter duration of chronic kidney disease, absence of antihypertensive medication use, and elevated serum potassium. Among subjects receiving antihypertensive treatment, uncontrolled BP was associated with male sex, shorter chronic kidney disease duration, and absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use. Thirty-seven percent of children with chronic kidney disease had either elevated systolic or diastolic BP, and 39% of these were not receiving antihypertensives, indicating that hypertension in pediatric chronic kidney disease may be frequently under- or even untreated. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers may improve BP control in these patients.

Dataset Information

Patterns of Internet and smartphone use by parents of children with chronic kidney disease.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Patterns of Internet and smartphone use by parents of children with chronic kidney disease.

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