Health Technology Readiness amongst Patients with Suspected Breast Cancer Using the READHY-tool - a Cross-sectional...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Informatics
• Digital Health

Background:

• Digital health tools offer advantages for patient education but may pose challenges for some individuals.
• Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients require clear understanding of treatment options for informed decision-making.
• Limited research exists on breast cancer patients' engagement with health technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess health technology readiness profiles among women with suspected breast cancer.
• To investigate how sociodemographic factors and current technology use correlate with these profiles.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 92 women with suspected breast cancer.
• Utilized the Readiness and Enablement Index for Health Technology (READHY) questionnaire.
• Employed cluster analysis to identify distinct readiness profiles.

Main Results:

• Three health technology readiness profiles were identified: medium (n=54), high (n=18), and low (n=20).
• The low readiness group exhibited challenges in health literacy, eHealth literacy, and health insights, alongside increased emotional stress.
• The majority of patients demonstrated medium to high health technology readiness.

Conclusions:

• While most patients are ready for health technology, a subset requires tailored support.
• Healthcare professionals should be vigilant for patients with low health technology readiness, particularly considering age and technology familiarity.
• Further research is needed to optimize information delivery methods for diverse technology readiness levels.