Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey

Objective: This study aimed to assess patients' interest in education content delivered through electronic modalities and identify trends in internet access and use among emergency department patients of various socioeconomic statuses. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey with 50 ques...

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Main Authors: Shannon Toohey, Michelle T. Nguyen, Soheil Saadat, Carrie E. Chandwani, Stephen F. Gassner, Alisa Wray, Ronald Rivera, Warren Wiechmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:PEC Innovation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000888
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author Shannon Toohey
Michelle T. Nguyen
Soheil Saadat
Carrie E. Chandwani
Stephen F. Gassner
Alisa Wray
Ronald Rivera
Warren Wiechmann
author_facet Shannon Toohey
Michelle T. Nguyen
Soheil Saadat
Carrie E. Chandwani
Stephen F. Gassner
Alisa Wray
Ronald Rivera
Warren Wiechmann
author_sort Shannon Toohey
collection DOAJ
description Objective: This study aimed to assess patients' interest in education content delivered through electronic modalities and identify trends in internet access and use among emergency department patients of various socioeconomic statuses. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey with 50 questions was completed by 241 English and Spanish-speaking patients in 2014 and repeated with 253 participants in 2019 at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center's Emergency Department (UCIMCED). Results: Internet access increased from 83.8 % in 2014 to 88.1 % in 2019. Most internet-using patients owned smartphones (80.1 % in 2014, 89.7 % in 2019). Patients used electronic devices, such as fit bits and activity trackers, to obtain health information. Email was the preferred method for receiving discharge instructions. Conclusions: As of 2019, 88.1 % of UCIMCED patients have access to the internet or email, making electronic media a reasonable venue for patient education. Given that we have a predominantly low-income patient population—61 % and 32 % of respondents in 2014 and 2019, respectively, reporting an income of less than $25,000—these results are provide new avenues to reach patients of all socioeconomic statuses. Innovation: The implications of this study can be used to develop electronic resources tailored to educate emergency department patients about their healthcare beyond the confines of a hospital.
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spelling doaj-art-0e137915e51642e7b0509fb7764283c42025-08-20T02:37:49ZengElsevierPEC Innovation2772-62822024-12-01510034010.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100340Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional surveyShannon Toohey0Michelle T. Nguyen1Soheil Saadat2Carrie E. Chandwani3Stephen F. Gassner4Alisa Wray5Ronald Rivera6Warren Wiechmann7University of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USA; Corresponding author at: 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA.School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 101 The City Dr S, Orange, CA 92868, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, 1001 Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA 92617, USAObjective: This study aimed to assess patients' interest in education content delivered through electronic modalities and identify trends in internet access and use among emergency department patients of various socioeconomic statuses. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey with 50 questions was completed by 241 English and Spanish-speaking patients in 2014 and repeated with 253 participants in 2019 at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center's Emergency Department (UCIMCED). Results: Internet access increased from 83.8 % in 2014 to 88.1 % in 2019. Most internet-using patients owned smartphones (80.1 % in 2014, 89.7 % in 2019). Patients used electronic devices, such as fit bits and activity trackers, to obtain health information. Email was the preferred method for receiving discharge instructions. Conclusions: As of 2019, 88.1 % of UCIMCED patients have access to the internet or email, making electronic media a reasonable venue for patient education. Given that we have a predominantly low-income patient population—61 % and 32 % of respondents in 2014 and 2019, respectively, reporting an income of less than $25,000—these results are provide new avenues to reach patients of all socioeconomic statuses. Innovation: The implications of this study can be used to develop electronic resources tailored to educate emergency department patients about their healthcare beyond the confines of a hospital.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000888Internet accessElectronic mediaDoctor-patient communicationSmartphonesPatient educationActivity trackers
spellingShingle Shannon Toohey
Michelle T. Nguyen
Soheil Saadat
Carrie E. Chandwani
Stephen F. Gassner
Alisa Wray
Ronald Rivera
Warren Wiechmann
Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
PEC Innovation
Internet access
Electronic media
Doctor-patient communication
Smartphones
Patient education
Activity trackers
title Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
title_full Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
title_fullStr Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
title_full_unstemmed Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
title_short Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey
title_sort access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department a repeated cross sectional survey
topic Internet access
Electronic media
Doctor-patient communication
Smartphones
Patient education
Activity trackers
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000888
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