Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence?

João Gregório; Tiago Maricoto; Paulo A.S. Moreira; Fátima Roque; Jaime Correia-De-Sousa; Maria Teresa Herdeiro; Isabel F. Almeida; Ioanna Tsiligiann; Tamas Agh; Cristina Jácome

doi:10.19277/bbr.20.1.315

Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence?

João Gregório, Tiago Maricoto, Paulo A.S. Moreira, Fátima Roque, Jaime Correia-De-Sousa, Maria Teresa Herdeiro, Isabel F. Almeida, Ioanna Tsiligiann, Tamas Agh, Cristina Jácome

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The implementation of e-Health initiatives aimed at improving medication adherence has shown limited success. This may be attributed to inadequate participant selection in evaluation studies. The objective of this evidence-based commentary is to examine the inclusion criteria of participants in e-Health interventions for medication adherence. In May 2021, we identified two systematic reviews, encompassing a total of 44 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating e-Health interventions for medication adherence. These interventions were aimed to diabetes (n=10), immunosuppressive therapy (n=6), and cardiovascular diseases (n=29). Participants in interventions utilizing digital apps had a lower mean age compared to those using telephones (53.9 ± 7.5 years vs. 63.4 ± 6.3 years). Most papers (91.0%) did not report participants' level of digital literacy, and educational background was only mentioned in 57.8% of the studies. Exclusion criteria associated with age, education, health conditions, were identified in the assessment of e-Health interventions, while digital literacy was seldom assessed. It is recommended incorporating the assessment and reporting of digital literacy into participant selection procedures in RCTs to address the digital divide and obtain more accurate information regarding the efficacy of e-Health interventions.

Translated title of the contribution	Abordando a iniquidade digital: quem está a ser deixado para trás na avaliação das intervenções de e-Health para melhorar a adesão aos medicamentos?
Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	93-105
Number of pages	13
Journal	Biomedical and biopharmaceutical research : jornal de investigação biomédica e biofarmacêutica
Volume	20
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.19277/bbr.20.1.315
Publication status	Published - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s).

Funding

This research is based upon work from COST Action CA19132 “ENABLE,” funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, or preparation of the manuscript. João Gregório is funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Scientific Employment Stimulus contract with the reference number CEEC/ CBIOS/EPH/2018.

Funders	Funder number
Scientific Employment Stimulus	CEEC/ CBIOS/EPH/2018
European Cooperation in Science and Technology	CA19132
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Keywords

Medication adherence
digital divide
digital health
e-Health evaluation
health inequities

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.19277/bbr.20.1.315

Cite this

Gregório, J., Maricoto, T., Moreira, P. A. S., Roque, F., Correia-De-Sousa, J., Herdeiro, M. T., Almeida, I. F., Tsiligiann, I., Agh, T., & Jácome, C. (2023). Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence? Biomedical and biopharmaceutical research : jornal de investigação biomédica e biofarmacêutica, 20(1), 93-105. https://doi.org/10.19277/bbr.20.1.315

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Gregório, J, Maricoto, T, Moreira, PAS, Roque, F, Correia-De-Sousa, J, Herdeiro, MT, Almeida, IF, Tsiligiann, I, Agh, T & Jácome, C 2023, 'Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence?', Biomedical and biopharmaceutical research : jornal de investigação biomédica e biofarmacêutica, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 93-105. https://doi.org/10.19277/bbr.20.1.315

Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence? / Gregório, João; Maricoto, Tiago; Moreira, Paulo A.S. et al.
In: Biomedical and biopharmaceutical research : jornal de investigação biomédica e biofarmacêutica, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2023, p. 93-105.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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T2 - who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence?

AU - Gregório, João

AU - Maricoto, Tiago

AU - Moreira, Paulo A.S.

AU - Roque, Fátima

AU - Correia-De-Sousa, Jaime

AU - Herdeiro, Maria Teresa

AU - Almeida, Isabel F.

AU - Tsiligiann, Ioanna

AU - Agh, Tamas

AU - Jácome, Cristina

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The implementation of e-Health initiatives aimed at improving medication adherence has shown limited success. This may be attributed to inadequate participant selection in evaluation studies. The objective of this evidence-based commentary is to examine the inclusion criteria of participants in e-Health interventions for medication adherence. In May 2021, we identified two systematic reviews, encompassing a total of 44 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating e-Health interventions for medication adherence. These interventions were aimed to diabetes (n=10), immunosuppressive therapy (n=6), and cardiovascular diseases (n=29). Participants in interventions utilizing digital apps had a lower mean age compared to those using telephones (53.9 ± 7.5 years vs. 63.4 ± 6.3 years). Most papers (91.0%) did not report participants' level of digital literacy, and educational background was only mentioned in 57.8% of the studies. Exclusion criteria associated with age, education, health conditions, were identified in the assessment of e-Health interventions, while digital literacy was seldom assessed. It is recommended incorporating the assessment and reporting of digital literacy into participant selection procedures in RCTs to address the digital divide and obtain more accurate information regarding the efficacy of e-Health interventions.

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Addressing the digital divide: who is being left behind in the evaluation of e-Health interventions to improve medication adherence?

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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