gms | German Medical Science

20. Jahrestagung des Deutschen Netzwerks Evidenzbasierte Medizin e. V.

Deutsches Netzwerk Evidenzbasierte Medizin e. V.

21. - 23.03.2019, Berlin

Electronic patient-generated health data to facilitate primary prevention and health promotion: a systematic scoping review

Meeting Abstract

  • Vasileios Nittas - Universität Zürich, Epidemiologie, Biostatistik und Prävention, Zürich, Schweiz
  • Margot Mütsch - Universität Zürich, Epidemiologie, Biostatistik und Prävention, Zürich, Schweiz
  • Frederic Ehrler - University Hospitals of Geneva, Division of Medical Information Sciences, Deutschland
  • Penny Lun - Universität Zürich, Epidemiologie, Biostatistik und Prävention, Zürich, Schweiz
  • Milo Alan Puhan - Universität Zürich, Epidemiologie, Biostatistik und Prävention, Zürich, Schweiz

EbM und Digitale Transformation in der Medizin. 20. Jahrestagung des Deutschen Netzwerks Evidenzbasierte Medizin. Berlin, 21.-23.03.2019. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2019. Doc19ebmS1-V1-03

doi: 10.3205/19ebm003, urn:nbn:de:0183-19ebm0038

Published: March 20, 2019

© 2019 Nittas et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Outline

Text

Background/research question: Healthcare systems face demographic and chronic disease challenges that can possibly be approached by a paradigm shift towards pro-active, patient-centred and preventive practice. Our study explored the use of electronic Patient-Generated Health Data (ePGHD), defined as health-data, created by patients or their designees, as a potential facilitator of that paradigm shift [1]. The review’s objective is to establish a comprehensive understanding of ePGHD use for prevention and health promotion.

Methods: A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases and a range of grey literature sources, guided by Arksey and O’ Malley’s methodological framework, performed in January 2018. Any type of empirical and grey literature with a focus on ePGHD and linked to prevention and health promotion was eligible for inclusion. The review process, guided by protocol [2], was conducted by two independent reviewers and followed by a narrative synthesis approach.

Results: Inclusion of 183 highly heterogeneous studies, with the majority addressing weight control (n=124), overall well-being (n=20), cardiometabolic health (n=14) and substance use prevention (n=13). Most common PGHD aims include

1.
behavior modification
2.
knowledge enhancement
3.
“healthy contexts” promotion and
4.
surveillance support.

Generated via a variety of tools, ranging from socially-penetrated devices (n=157) to medical technologies (n=15); 94% of the literature combined ePGHD with additional components, such as motivational (n=123) or educational elements (n=116). The interpretation of ePGHD is key (n=160) but mostly indirectly described in form of educational and instructive support, comparative and normative feedback, summaries and visualizations. The preventive impact of ePGHD is mixed with positive tendencies, while the consideration of equity effects remains weak. Barriers and facilitators where clustered around

1.
data generation,
2.
technicalities,
3.
ethics and trust,
4.
user characteristics and
5.
context.

Conclusions: Our review maps a heterogeneous volume of ePGHD literature and enhances our understanding on the use of such data for prevention and health promotion. Mostly embedded in multicomponent interventions, the actual value of ePGHD for prevention is difficult to disentangle. Future research should explore which combinations of supportive elements and ePGHD work best, and for which preventive measures, placing emphasis on equity and key identified barriers and facilitators.

Competing interests: None


References

1.
Shapiro M, Johnston D, Wald J, et al. Patient-generated health data White Paper. Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International; 2012.
2.
Nittas V, Mütsch M, Ehrler F, Puhan MA. Electronic patient-generated health data to facilitate prevention and health promotion: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. 2018 Aug 10;8(8):e021245. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021245 External link