Titti Mattsson

The Use of Apps for Health in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and Stroke - Barriers and Facilitators.

INTRODUCTION The importance of mobile health has increased during recent years but few studies have described the use of apps among persons with neurological disabilities. AIM The aim of this paper was to describe how persons ageing with a neurological disability experience barriers and facilitators in relation to using apps in everyday life. METHOD A qualitative approach was used. 16 persons with neurological disorders participated in two group discussions. Data were analyzed by content analysis. RESULTS The analysis formed four categories; Impairments make apps harder to use, Use of apps is increased by learnability and sharing, Valuating the information in an app, and Apps act supportive and motivating. CONCLUSION The participants used apps in the same way as persons without disabilities. Impairments and trustworthiness were perceived as barriers, which need to be acknowledged when developing apps for this population. Use of apps was facilitated by the possibility to share data and to connect with others. Apps may have the potential to improve self-management for persons ageing with disabilities but further research is needed.

Quality Registries in Sweden, Healthcare Improvements and Elderly Persons with Cognitive Impairments

Policy-makers, the medical industry and researchers are demonstrating a keen interest in the potential of large registries of patient data, both nationally and internationally. The registries offer promising ways to measure and develop operational quality within health and medical care services. As a result of certain favourable patient data regulations and government funding, the development of quality registries is advanced in Sweden. The combination of increasing demand for more cost-efficient healthcare that can accommodate the demographic development of a rapidly ageing population, and the emergence of eHealth with an increasing digitalisation of patient data, calls attention to quality registries as a possible way for healthcare improvements. However, even if the use of registries has many advantages, there are some drawbacks from a patient privacy point of view. This article aims to analyse this growing interdependence of quality registries for the healthcare sector. It discusses some lessons from the Swedish case, with particular focus on the collection of data from elderly persons with cognitive impairments.