Patients' experiences with a welfare technology application for remote home care: A longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Digital Health
• Oncology Nursing

Background:

• Welfare technology is suggested for remote palliative care in cancer patients.
• Limited understanding exists on patient experiences with such applications in community care.
• Longitudinal studies on patient experiences with evolving needs are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the longitudinal experiences of patients with cancer using a remote home care application for palliative care.
• To understand patient perspectives on welfare technology in home-based palliative cancer care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study with a longitudinal, exploratory design.
• Individual interviews with 11 patients over 16 weeks.
• Qualitative content analysis guided by COREQ checklist.

Main Results:

• Remote home care can facilitate self-governance and daily routines for life-limiting illnesses.
• Interpersonal relationships with healthcare professionals are crucial for effective follow-up.
• Patients experienced increased responsibility and unclear utility of the remote home care application, alongside infrastructural challenges.

Conclusions:

• Remote home care can improve symptom control and illness management at home.
• Strong interpersonal connections are vital for satisfactory remote palliative care.
• Insights gained can inform the design of welfare technology and care strategies for palliative cancer patients.