Preferences towards digital health technologies: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Technologies
• Health Informatics
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) are rapidly expanding, presenting new avenues for healthcare delivery.
• Patient adoption of DHTs hinges on their alignment with user needs and expectations.
• Assessing patient preferences for DHTs is complex due to diverse user profiles and measurement methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize evidence on patient preferences for various DHTs (eHealth, telehealth, telemedicine, mHealth).
• Examine methods used for eliciting patient preferences in DHT research.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the design and adoption of DHTs.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a scoping review of literature from 2000-2026, adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Searched major databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopes, Web of Science).
• Included 85 studies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods) analyzed for preference elicitation techniques and patient values.

Main Results:

• Patients consistently prioritize cost, privacy, convenience, and personalization in DHTs.
• Quantitative methods like Discrete Choice Experiments and qualitative thematic analyses were common.
• Significant heterogeneity in preferences was noted across DHT types, health conditions, and age groups.

Conclusions:

• Diverse research methodologies offer complementary insights into patient perceptions of DHTs.
• Personalized, user-friendly, secure, and affordable DHTs are highly sought after, especially by older adults with chronic conditions.
• Tailoring DHT development to diverse patient preferences is crucial for effective patient support and technology adoption.