Factors influencing primary care physicians recommending patients to use digital health technologies for self-management: A cross-sectional study across 20 countries.

Abstract

Background: Expanding access to self-management via Digital Health Technologies may supplement traditional care, mitigating pressures on primary care through self-management. Primary Care Physicians (PCP) can play a critical role in the integration of digital health technologies into patient care, but it is unclear what factors influence PCPs' recommendation of such technologies.

Aims: To identify the factors associated with PCPs recommending digital health technologies to patients for self-management before and during the pandemic.

Methods: PCPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June and September 2020. The outcome was a self-report of recommending patients to at least one of six listed forms of digital health technologies. Univariable logistic regression models were performed to explore factors associated with recommending digital health technologies to patients before and during the pandemic.

Results: 1,592 PCPs were included. Before the pandemic, the odds of recommending digital health technologies for self-management were lower for PCPs not involved in teaching, or practising in Turkey, Australia, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. During the pandemic, PCPs practising in rural settings had higher odds of starting to recommend digital health technologies, as well as those from Brazil, Colombia, and Italy. There was no significant difference in recommending digital health technologies before and during the pandemic.

Conclusions: Involvement in teaching (pre-pandemic) and practising in a rural setting (during the pandemic) positively influenced the recommendation of digital health technologies. Significant variation in recommending digital health technologies was present across countries.