DIGITAL HEALTH最新文献

{"title":"Advances in the study and application of digital technology in the clinical practice of atopic dermatitis.","authors":"Yusheng Chen, Zhenni Gong, Su Liang, Yicheng Zhang, Weihao Cheng, Xuesong Jia, Luoyi Ren, Xue Wang","doi":"10.1177/20552076251377957","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251377957","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex, chronic inflammatory skin disease that requires individualised and precise diagnostic and treatment strategies. In recent years, digital technologies have opened new avenues for its diagnosis and treatment. This article descriptively reviews the progress of digital technologies in AD from four aspects: diagnosis, treatment, care, and research and development. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analysis of skin lesion images improves diagnostic objectivity, while skin ultrasound quantifies inflammatory indicators. Telemedicine platforms optimise treatment plans by integrating real-time monitoring data, and smart devices enhance skin barrier management. Multi-omics combined with AI-assisted drug design accelerates the development of targeted therapies. Despite challenges such as data privacy and technical standardisation, digital technologies are establishing a closed-loop system of \"monitoring-intervention-feedback,\" driving a paradigm shift in AD diagnosis and treatment. Future efforts should focus on deepening technology integration, interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world data application to achieve full-cycle individualised management.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251377957"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12423535/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145066325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Facebook as an arena for peer support?-Knowledge exchange and normative illness narratives about stroke.","authors":"Lill Hultman, Ulla-Karin Schön, Fredrik Sandman, Mikael Åkerlund, Jeanette Nelson, Malin Tistad","doi":"10.1177/20552076251376274","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251376274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Experiencing a stroke disrupts the expected life course and can negatively impact cognitive, emotional, and physical functioning, making it a major source of disability globally. To support recovery, individuals can seek help by sharing their experiences in peer-to-peer support communities.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study was to use discourse analysis to examine how members of a peer-to-peer online support community for stroke survivors construct their understanding of the condition and use narratives to reconstruct their identity into different subject positions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study context was a private Swedish peer-to-peer online support community created and administered by middle-aged people with lived experience of stroke. Data was collected through structured protocols that captured the content of posts and comments (<i>n</i> = 397). The analysis has followed the principles of Laclau and Mouffes discursive framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings suggest that identity struggles revolve around looking ahead and negotiating normative expectations with oneself and others. We identified five subject positions: survivor, pathfinder, mentor, struggler, and outsider. These positions highlight the plurality and fluidity of post-stroke identity processes. Members often shifted between these roles based on changes in health, emotional state, or community interactions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The diversity of subject positions demonstrates that stroke recovery is not a uniform process, emphasizing the importance of recognizing identity work as a core aspect of post-stroke adaptation. The findings highlight the need for more flexible, patient-centered services that accommodate diverse narratives, including those shaped by long-term disability, emotional trauma, and shifting life priorities.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251376274"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12420960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The spatial spillover effects of digital transformation on healthcare services quality.","authors":"Luxin Zhang, Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain, Sawal Hamid Md Ali","doi":"10.1177/20552076251374407","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251374407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Economic growth and improved material living standards have raised people's expectations for healthcare service quality. The digitalization level of healthcare organizations can significantly impact meeting these expectations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study uses Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to calculate the digital transformation and healthcare service quality composite index. Digital transformation and healthcare service quality spatiotemporal evolution are studied using kernel density estimation, spatial Moran's I index and trend surface analysis. Second, the spatial Durbin model explores how digitalization directly impacts healthcare quality. Finally, digital transformation's spatial spillover impacts on healthcare service quality are examined using partial differential decomposition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The digital transformation gap is expanding as areas develop differently. Notwithstanding west-east expansion of digital transformation across China, the centre region demonstrates greatest expansion compared with northern or southern regions. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the eastern coastline region, Sichuan-Chongqing and Guangdong are high-level, whereas the northeast, northwest and Yunnan-Guizhou are low. Healthcare quality has improved annually, although regional gaps have grown. The centre was found to have a greater healthcare gap than the east and west. North exceeds south, with the north-south gap growing in 2021 over 2012. Digital transformation improves local healthcare but degrades neighbouring care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Situated within a digital framework, this research examines how digital transformation might improve the quality of healthcare services and the spatial spillover effects. The results indicate that digital transformation may markedly improve the quality of medical services and have spatial spillover effects. Limitations identified in this study include constraints in research methodologies and modest sample size. Consequently, future studies may refine the provincial sample to the level of prefecture-level cities, employing moderation and mediation effect models to more precisely evaluate the impact mechanism of digital transformation on the quality of medical services.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251374407"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12420974/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expectations of AI-supported communication in nurse-family interactions in nursing homes: Navigating ambiguities in role transformation.","authors":"Yu-Yi Lin, Hsiu-Hsin Tsai, Wann-Yun Shieh, Li-Chueh Weng, Hsiu-Li Huang, Chia-Yih Liu","doi":"10.1177/20552076251362385","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251362385","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Understanding nurses' expectations and concerns regarding artificial intelligence (AI)-supported communication with families in nursing homes is essential for designing effective digital tools that support meaningful family engagement. This study explores how nurses perceive the integration of AI-supported communication tools in interactions with residents' family members, with a focus on their expectations and the ambiguities related to changes to their communicative roles.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This qualitative descriptive study employed semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 15 nurses from seven medium-to-large registered nursing homes in Taiwan, selected through purposive sampling. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify key themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis revealed a central theme: \"navigating ambiguities in role transformation,\" which reflected nurses' perceptions of the opportunities and uncertainties involved in incorporating communication into family interactions. Four categories contain these ambiguities: (1) use of AI to replace repetitive communication (<i>n</i> = 15), (2) emotional interaction (<i>n</i> = 13), (3) transparent data sharing (<i>n</i> = 9), and (4) tailoring of personal care plans for families (<i>n</i> = 7).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although nurses acknowledged the potential of AI to improve communication efficiency, they also expressed concerns about its ability to preserve emotional depth, clinical judgment, and personalized engagement. Addressing these ambiguities is critical for developing AI systems that align with nursing values and practice. This study provides insight to guide the design of digital solutions that are responsive to the realities of nursing home care and support stronger family involvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251362385"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12420959/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'I've seen you at your worst, but I still want to be your friend': A qualitative study of peer support exchange from the perspective of participants in online communities centred around self-harming and suicidal behaviour.","authors":"Malene Eiberg Holm, Kim Jørgensen, Kate Andreasson, Maj Vinberg, Merete Nordentoft, Julie Midtgaard","doi":"10.1177/20552076251365075","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251365075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Research on online communities centred around self-harming and suicidal behaviour often focuses on harmful effects. The concept of peer support, which may help explain why individuals engage with such forums, remains under-explored. This study aimed to examine how peer support is experienced in these communities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former participants in online communities focused on self-harming and suicidal behaviour (12 women and one non-binary person, mean age 28). A reflective thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four main themes emerged: (1) <i>You are allowed to feel bad and express it on your own terms</i>, (2) <i>Anonymity and intimacy is not a paradox in the online world</i>, (3) <i>It is necessary to have friends in real life as well</i>, and (4) <i>When support, relations, and motivation change over time, one must ask: Should I stay or should I go?</i> The findings not only illustrate the communities as emotionally supportive spaces that foster belonging and intimacy, but also point to challenges in maintaining boundaries and disengaging when support becomes unhelpful.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Online communities centred around self-harming and suicidal behaviour provide an alternative to traditional mental health services, often perceived as paternalistic and unsupportive of autonomy. Participants describe online peer support as a way to share emotional burdens and form meaningful relationships. However, the informal nature of support may complicate recovery, especially when individuals become entrenched in the community. These dynamics warrant further research and consideration in mental health practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251365075"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12420975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weakly supervised deep learning for multimodal MRI-TRUS registration: Toward assisting prostate biopsy guidance.","authors":"Jiabin Yu, Binggang Xiao, Jiayi Wang, Hongmei Mi, Enyu Wang, Ningjie Huang, You Zhou, Dongping Zhang, Furong Luo, Li Yang, Hanzong Lin, Ruigang Huang, Yingying Ding, Xia Li, Chenjie Xu, Guorong Lyu, Ming Chen","doi":"10.1177/20552076251375870","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251375870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Accurate magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound (MRI-TRUS) registration is essential for improving prostate cancer detection and biopsy guidance. This study presents a weakly supervised learning framework to enhance image alignment while minimizing reliance on extensive labeled data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed a two-stage weakly supervised framework integrating an attention-enhanced U-Net for prostate segmentation and a residual-enhanced registration network (RERN) for MRI-TRUS alignment. The segmentation model was trained and evaluated on public MRI datasets (MSD Prostate, Promise12, µ-RegPro) and TRUS datasets (µ-RegPro), with additional testing on a clinical cohort of 32 MRI-TRUS pairs. Performance was assessed using dice similarity coefficient (DSC), accuracy (Acc), precision (Pre), recall (Rec), and the 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95). The registration model was trained and tested using MRI-TRUS pairs from µ-RegPro and the clinical cohort, with performance evaluated based on HD95 and target registration error (TRE). Additionally, clinical validation included PI-RADS-like grading, Likert confidence scoring, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to assess diagnostic impact.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The segmentation model demonstrated high accuracy (DSC: MRI 0.9154, TRUS 0.9384) and strong generalizability to clinical data (MRI 0.9010, TRUS 0.9173). The registration model achieved robust performance, with HD95 of 10.18 mm on public datasets and 11.18 mm on clinical data, and TRE below 8.64 mm. Clinical validation confirmed that registered MRI images preserved diagnostic integrity, as no significant differences were observed in radiologists' diagnostic performance (AUC: junior 0.706, senior 0.781, <i>p</i> > 0.05). Moreover, registered images enhanced diagnostic confidence among senior radiologists (Likert score: 3.032 vs. 3.548, <i>p</i> = 0.015), highlighting their potential to support expert-level decision-making.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The proposed weakly supervised framework achieves high-precision MRI-TRUS registration with minimal annotation, ensuring strong generalizability and clinical applicability.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251375870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12417678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blood or buzz? Decoding the quality of CBC-related short videos on Chinese platforms.","authors":"Jianbo Xu, Ying Gao, Xinyi Xu, Jingyu Li, Ziqi Shan, Lu Xiao","doi":"10.1177/20552076251375721","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251375721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The complete cell count (CBC) is a fundamental diagnostic tool in clinical practice and is essential for screening and managing diseases such as anemia, infections, and malignant blood disorders. In China, a rapidly aging population and a growing burden of chronic diseases have increased the demand for accessible health knowledge resources. Short videos have now become a popular channel for medical information dissemination. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the overall quality and credibility of videos about CBC in China.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study was to assess the information quality of CBC-related videos on short video sharing platforms in China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched for short videos that popularize the main knowledge of CBC posted on three short video platforms in China that are currently accessed with a large amount of information: Douyin, Bilibili, and Rednote. A total of 242 relevant videos were retrieved, and we collected, processed, and analyzed the authors and basic information of all videos. The quality and reliability of their contents were assessed by using the Global Quality Score scale, the Modified DISCERN Medical Video Quality Evaluation Tool. Subsequently, short video platforms as well as video publishers were analyzed and compared descriptively as a whole. Potential correlations between general video information and video quality and reliability were analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficient.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The quality of online videos provided by short video platforms showed a moderate level of quality (just 49.5% met the high-quality level criterion), and the completeness of their content, as well as their reliability was average (only 28.9% of videos met the reliability criterion). Further results on group comparisons showed that videos from healthcare professionals were better than those from non-healthcare professionals in terms of content comprehensiveness, reliability, and quality. Additionally, we observed a positive correlation between the production length of the video and video quality; however, there was no significant correlation between video likes and comments, etc., and video quality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study suggest that the overall quality and reliability of short videos about CBC-related content in current short video platforms are still significantly deficient. It is recommended that viewers should treat this content with caution. Among them, videos posted from medical personnel are more instructive. Nevertheless, video-based popularization of medical knowledge still holds promise. The overall quality and reliability of medical information shared on short video platforms can be improved by implementing appropriate strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251375721"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12417665/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"User or patient/human or person? Development of a practical framework for applying user-centered design to vulnerable populations for digital transformation in healthcare.","authors":"Angelina Müller, Jannik Schaaf","doi":"10.1177/20552076251375835","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251375835","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>User-centered design (UCD) is essential in developing healthcare technologies that effectively address user needs, particularly in vulnerable populations. Although UCD traditionally emphasizes direct user involvement, challenges arise when individuals face cognitive, emotional, or structural barriers to participation. In medical settings, integrating UCD with inclusive design principles has been crucial to ensuring equitable healthcare solutions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Based on our expertise and a narrative review, we identified challenges and results in UCD approaches in digital health.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings reveal key principles for applying UCD in digital health, emphasizing the importance of early user engagement, accessibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Studies demonstrate that active involvement of end-users (patients, healthcare providers, and caregivers) through qualitative methods such as interviews, surveys, and usability testing, ideally following iterative design cycles, is critical for designing effective and inclusive digital tools. Accessibility considerations, particularly for vulnerable populations, and integration of digital tools into clinical workflows play an essential role in the process.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>To address these challenges, we propose a structured UCD framework for \"user-patient-human-friendly\" digital transformation in healthcare that guides the development of digital health technologies from initial user research to long-term evaluation. The framework provides a roadmap for designing solutions that are adaptable, inclusive, and sustainable, ensuring that healthcare technologies align with the needs of diverse populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251375835"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12417668/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing elderly care with smart homes: A comparative study of use and payment willingness.","authors":"Hongqi Shi, Hanying Qi, Keng Yang","doi":"10.1177/20552076251374223","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251374223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>With China's rapid aging and urbanization concentrating older adults in cities, urban elder care has become an urgent challenge. Smart home technologies offer support for aging in place but remain underused. This study examines the factors influencing urban elderly individuals' willingness to use and pay for smart home services in China. It fills a critical research gap in understanding technology adoption for elderly care in the context of large-scale demographic and urban transitions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data was collected from 639 elderly individuals across 12 communities in China through questionnaires in 2021. The study distinguishes between willingness to use, measuring technology acceptability, and willingness to pay, reflecting cost-value perceptions. Given the ordinal nature of the five-point Likert scale responses, ordered logistic regression was employed to analyze factors from three dimensions: predisposing factors (age, gender, marital status), enabling factors (income, insurance), and demand factors (life satisfaction, hospitalization history, health conditions), with appropriate controls for sample characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The empirical analysis revealed that factors such as age, life satisfaction, income, and health issues (including multiple chronic conditions such as insomnia, memory decline, and mobility problems) significantly impact older adults' willingness to use smart home services. In this model, age showed a negative effect, with older cohorts being more conservative. In contrast, for willingness to pay, age, hospitalization history, and income were found to be significant factors, with age again associated with increased resistance among the older groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study reveals that income capacity, health transitions, and age barriers critically determine smart home adoption among older adults. Policy implications include tailored digital literacy for older cohorts, subsidies to improve affordability, and integrating smart home consultations into hospital discharge planning. These targeted interventions can bridge the adoption gap and enable aging populations to access smart home health monitoring benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251374223"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12417672/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digitizing HIV care in Uganda: Patient and provider perspectives on the AmFine patient portal.","authors":"Ritah Kiconco, Raymond Atwine, Francis Kamuganga, Michael Kanyesigye, Dickens Owamaani, Naomi Sanyu, Wilson Tumuhimbise, Winnie Muyindike, Angella Musiimenta, James J Cimino","doi":"10.1177/20552076251376270","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20552076251376270","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In resource-limited settings like Uganda, managing HIV care through conventional paper-based systems poses challenges such as inefficiencies in clinical workflows and limited patient engagement. The <i>AmFine</i> patient portal and mobile application was developed to digitize the paper-based \"blue card\" system and enhance patient-provider communication.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the lived experiences of patients and healthcare providers in using the <i>AmFine</i> patient portal and mobile application at the immune suppressive syndrome (ISS) Clinic of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, focusing on usability, motivation for use, challenges and suggestions for improvement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted face-to-face in-depth interviews with 25 participants (21 patients and 4 healthcare providers) at the ISS Clinic of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital between April 2023 and May 2023. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using codebook thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke's approach. Coding was conducted in NVivo 12, and themes were developed inductively to explore participant experiences, perceived usability, and challenges of the AmFine patient portal and mobile application.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The AmFine patient portal and mobile application was positively perceived as enhancing communication and convenience. Patients appreciated the ability to send messages to providers without traveling to the clinic, fostering privacy and reducing stigma. Providers valued streamlined patient management and communication. Challenges included limited technological literacy among some patients, intermittent internet connectivity, and data costs. Suggestions for improvement included enhancing offline functionality, diversifying language options, and providing more detailed training sessions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The AmFine patient portal and mobile application demonstrated potential to improve HIV care delivery and patient engagement in a resource-limited setting. Addressing identified challenges can optimize system usability and adoption.</p>","PeriodicalId":51333,"journal":{"name":"DIGITAL HEALTH","volume":"11 ","pages":"20552076251376270"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12417675/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145042160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}