A new study conducted recently by Hannover Medical School in Germany is getting widespread attention as the final weeks of 2014 loom large.
The researchers looked at how patients and doctors accept and use devices for healthcare purposes. According to a report summary, the study found that the two biggest factors affecting mHealth adoption are age and education.
Specifically, doctors and patients were surveyed about their acceptance and use of mobile devices in medical settings. Not surprisingly, a high percentage of doctors (81.6%) own mobile devices. The vast majority of doctors, as previous studies covered by mHealthWatch have shown, use their smartphones and tablets in some capacity for work.
For patients, however, educational level and having access to mobile devices were the greatest factors to determine their mHealth usage and reliance.
“Differences in how patients and doctors perceive the use of mobile devices can be attributed to age and level of education; these factors are often mentioned as contributors of the problems with (mobile) technologies,” the formal study summary published in JMIR reads. “To fully realize the potential of mobile technologies in a health care context, the needs of both the elderly as well as those who are educationally disadvantaged need to be carefully addressed in all strategies relating to mobile technology in a health context.”
To learn more about the research and its findings, click here.