The aim of this analysis is to investigate reasons why patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease decline to participate in a controlled trial of telemedicine. Patients with previous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations were invited to participate in a 6-month randomized telemedicine trial. For eligible patients, reasons for refusal were registered. Of 560 eligible patients, 279 (50%) declined to participate in the trial, 257 (92%) reported a reason: 53 (20.6%) technical concerns, 164 (63.8%) personal reasons, 17 (6.6%) preferred outpatient clinic visits, and 23 (8.9%) did not want to participate in clinical research. Compared to consenting patients, subjects declining participation were significantly older, more often female, had higher lung function (%predicted), lower body mass index, higher admission-rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the previous year, and were more often diagnosed with osteoporosis. Many eligible patients decline participating in a controlled tele-healthcare trial and, furthermore, a tailored approach for recruiting females and elderly patients appears appropriate.
Keywords: assistive technologies; decision-support systems; ehealth; organizational change and information technology; telecare.