What do patients want from a digital device that supports heart failure self-management?

Objective: To assess patients' needs and the factors determining their acceptance of an e-Health intervention.

Methods: Purposive sample of patients with heart failure, attending an outpatient consultation were invited to complete a questionnaire designed to assess their needs and acceptance of an e-Health intervention. Data analysis was performed using Chi-square tests with post-hoc corrections.

Results: Response rate was 61 % (n = 101), with most patients (>70 %) indicating they could see themselves using an e-Health intervention to manage their heart failure. Participants with a healthy lifestyle (i.e., non-smoker and consumed alcohol < once/week) were more likely to have a positive attitude towards technology (p adj.=0.013). Those willing to use an e-Health intervention were convinced of its advantages by other patients with heart failure (p adj.=0.013). Advanced age, education level, employment or marital status did not influence patient attitudes toward health technology.

Conclusions & practice implications: Results indicate patients have a positive attitude towards the use of e-Health interventions to enable their self-management of heart failure. These findings will inform further development and delivery strategies of e-Health interventions.