Quality Criteria for Internet Interventions in Long-Term Conditions
Author Information
Author(s): Cicely Kerr, Elizabeth Murray, Fiona Stevenson, Charles Gore, Irwin Nazareth
Primary Institution: University College London
Hypothesis
What are the quality criteria that patients and caregivers use to assess Internet interventions for long-term conditions?
Conclusion
The user-generated quality criteria reported in this paper should help developers and purchasers provide Internet interventions that better meet user needs.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants generated detailed and specific quality criteria relating to information content, presentation, interactivity, and trustworthiness.
- Participants felt that many Internet interventions were not achieving their full potential.
- Focus groups allowed participants to build on each other's experiences and insights.
Takeaway
Patients and caregivers want Internet health tools to be helpful and trustworthy, but many current options aren't meeting their needs.
Methodology
Qualitative study using focus groups where patients and caregivers discussed their experiences with Internet interventions.
Potential Biases
Self-selection of participants may introduce bias as those who volunteered may have different views than those who did not.
Limitations
Participants were self-selecting volunteers, which may not represent typical patients or caregivers, and caregiver participation was particularly low.
Participant Demographics
Participants included adult patients with diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis C, caregivers of Alzheimer's patients, and parents of children with diabetes and asthma, with a diverse range of ages and backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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