Digital Health Tools for Managing Noncommunicable Diseases During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Patients and Caregivers

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Background

A reduction in the number of face-to-face medical examinations conducted for patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to health care professionals quickly adopting different strategies to communicate with and monitor their patients. Such strategies include the increased use of digital health tools. However, patient preferences, privacy concerns, a lack of regulations, overregulation, and insufficient evidence on the efficacy of digital health tools may have hampered the potential positive benefits of using such tools to manage NCDs.

Objective

This viewpoint aims to discuss the views of an advisory board of patient and caregiver association members. Specifically, we aim to present this advisory board’s view on the role of digital health tools in managing patients with NCDs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify future directions based on patients’ perspectives.

Methods

As an initiative under the NCD Partnership (PARTners in Ncds Engage foR building Strategies to improve Healthy ageing In Patients) model of Upjohn, a web-based advisory board of patient and caregiver advocates was held on July 28, 2020, to bring together key stakeholders from public and private sectors.

Results

The following key themes emerged: (1) technology developers should understand that the goals of patients may differ from those of health care professionals and other stakeholders; (2) patients, health care professionals, caregivers, and other end users need to be involved in the development of digital health tools at the earliest phase possible, to guarantee usability, efficacy, and adoption; (3) digital health tools must be better tailored to people with complex conditions, such as multimorbidity, older age, and cognitive or sensory impairment; and (4) some patients do not want or are unable to use digital health care tools, so adequate alternatives should always be available.

Conclusions

There was consensus that public-private partnership models, such as the Upjohn NCD Partnership, can be effective models that foster innovation by integrating multiple perspectives (eg, patients’ perspectives) into the design, development, and implementation of digital and nondigital health tools, with the main overall objective of improving the life of patients with NCDs.

Related collections

Most cited references 32

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

The World report on ageing and health: a policy framework for healthy ageing.

John Beard, Alana Officer, Islene De Carvalho … (2016)

Although populations around the world are rapidly ageing, evidence that increasing longevity is being accompanied by an extended period of good health is scarce. A coherent and focused public health response that spans multiple sectors and stakeholders is urgently needed. To guide this global response, WHO has released the first World report on ageing and health, reviewing current knowledge and gaps and providing a public health framework for action. The report is built around a redefinition of healthy ageing that centres on the notion of functional ability: the combination of the intrinsic capacity of the individual, relevant environmental characteristics, and the interactions between the individual and these characteristics. This Health Policy highlights key findings and recommendations from the report.

0 comments Cited 545 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Global Telemedicine Implementation and Integration Within Health Systems to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call to Action

Robin Ohannessian, Tu Duong, Anna Odone (2020)

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic, with over 720,000 cases reported in more than 203 countries as of 31 March. The response strategy included early diagnosis, patient isolation, symptomatic monitoring of contacts as well as suspected and confirmed cases, and public health quarantine. In this context, telemedicine, particularly video consultations, has been promoted and scaled up to reduce the risk of transmission, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Based on a literature review, the first conceptual framework for telemedicine implementation during outbreaks was published in 2015. An updated framework for telemedicine in the COVID-19 pandemic has been defined. This framework could be applied at a large scale to improve the national public health response. Most countries, however, lack a regulatory framework to authorize, integrate, and reimburse telemedicine services, including in emergency and outbreak situations. In this context, Italy does not include telemedicine in the essential levels of care granted to all citizens within the National Health Service, while France authorized, reimbursed, and actively promoted the use of telemedicine. Several challenges remain for the global use and integration of telemedicine into the public health response to COVID-19 and future outbreaks. All stakeholders are encouraged to address the challenges and collaborate to promote the safe and evidence-based use of telemedicine during the current pandemic and future outbreaks. For countries without integrated telemedicine in their national health care system, the COVID-19 pandemic is a call to adopt the necessary regulatory frameworks for supporting wide adoption of telemedicine.

0 comments Cited 430 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

NCD Countdown 2030: worldwide trends in non-communicable disease mortality and progress towards Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4

James Bennett, Gretchen Stevens, Colin D Mathers … (2018)

The third UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on Sept 27, 2018, will review national and global progress towards the prevention and control of NCDs, and provide an opportunity to renew, reinforce, and enhance commitments to reduce their burden. NCD Countdown 2030 is an independent collaboration to inform policies that aim to reduce the worldwide burden of NCDs, and to ensure accountability towards this aim. In 2016, an estimated 40·5 million (71%) of the 56·9 million worldwide deaths were from NCDs. Of these, an estimated 1·7 million (4% of NCD deaths) occurred in people younger than 30 years of age, 15·2 million (38%) in people aged between 30 years and 70 years, and 23·6 million (58%) in people aged 70 years and older. An estimated 32·2 million NCD deaths (80%) were due to cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, and another 8·3 million (20%) were from other NCDs. Women in 164 (88%) and men in 165 (89%) of 186 countries and territories had a higher probability of dying before 70 years of age from an NCD than from communicable, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional conditions combined. Globally, the lowest risks of NCD mortality in 2016 were seen in high-income countries in Asia-Pacific, western Europe, and Australasia, and in Canada. The highest risks of dying from NCDs were observed in low-income and middle-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and, for men, in central Asia and eastern Europe. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4-a one-third reduction, relative to 2015 levels, in the probability of dying between 30 years and 70 years of age from cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes by 2030-will be achieved in 35 countries (19%) for women, and 30 (16%) for men, if these countries maintain or surpass their 2010-2016 rate of decline in NCD mortality. Most of these are high-income countries with already-low NCD mortality, and countries in central and eastern Europe. An additional 50 (27%) countries for women and 35 (19%) for men are projected to achieve such a reduction in the subsequent decade, and thus, with slight acceleration of decline, could meet the 2030 target. 86 (46%) countries for women and 97 (52%) for men need implementation of policies that substantially increase the rates of decline. Mortality from the four NCDs included in SDG target 3.4 has stagnated or increased since 2010 among women in 15 (8%) countries and men in 24 (13%) countries. NCDs and age groups other than those included in the SDG target 3.4 are responsible for a higher risk of death in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. Substantial reduction of NCD mortality requires policies that considerably reduce tobacco and alcohol use and blood pressure, and equitable access to efficacious and high-quality preventive and curative care for acute and chronic NCDs.

0 comments Cited 365 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Contributors

Alessandro Monaco:

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9941-7003

École des hautes études commerciales de Paris (HEC Paris)Rue de la Libération 1Jouy-en-Josas, 78350France33 0692948312alessandro.monaco@hec.edu

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Med Internet Res

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J Med Internet Res

Journal ID (publisher-id): JMIR

Title: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Publisher: JMIR Publications (Toronto, Canada )

ISSN (Print): 1439-4456

ISSN (Electronic): 1438-8871

Publication date Collection: January 2021

Publication date (Electronic): 29 January 2021

Publication date PMC-release: 29 January 2021

Volume: 23

Issue: 1

Electronic Location Identifier: e25652

Affiliations

[1 ] École des hautes études commerciales de Paris (HEC Paris) Jouy-en-Josas France

[2 ] Oliba Rome Italy

[3 ] The Danish Committee for Health Education Copenhagen Denmark

[4 ] Healthwatch Wiltshire Trowbridge United Kingdom

[5 ] Esperity Brussels Belgium

[6 ] Pårørendealliansen Oslo Norway

[7 ] Pain Alliance Europe Brussels Belgium

[8 ] Cittadinanzattiva/Active Citizenship Network Rome Italy

[9 ] European Federation of Neurological Associations Brussels Belgium

[10 ] Upjohn Brussels Belgium

[11 ] Upjohn Istanbul Turkey

[12 ] Upjohn Vilnius Lithuania

[13 ] Upjohn Surrey United Kingdom

Author notes

Corresponding Author: Alessandro Monaco alessandro.monaco@ 123456hec.edu

Author information

Alessandro Monaco https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9941-7003

Katie Palmer https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8783-016X

Nicolaj Holm Ravn Faber https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2330-2952

Irene Kohler https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4723-1503

Mitchell Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4274-4238

Anita Vatland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1825-5429

Joop van Griensven https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5724-6824

Mariano Votta https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7557-2546

Donna Walsh https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0028-0818

Vincent Clay https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4907-003X

Mehmet Cuneyt Yazicioglu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-403X

Danute Ducinskiene https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9070-5810

Shaantanu Donde https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7272-7389

Article

Publisher ID: v23i1e25652

DOI: 10.2196/25652

PMC ID: 7850778

PubMed ID: 33464206

SO-VID: 3a8ee529-321e-4b71-8975-6ed57ab962aa

Copyright © ©Alessandro Monaco, Katie Palmer, Nicolaj Holm Ravn Faber, Irene Kohler, Mitchell Silva, Anita Vatland, Joop van Griensven, Mariano Votta, Donna Walsh, Vincent Clay, Mehmet Cuneyt Yazicioglu, Danute Ducinskiene, Shaantanu Donde. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 29.01.2021.

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

History

Date received : 13 November 2020

Date revision requested : 4 December 2020

Date revision received : 24 December 2020

Date accepted : 13 January 2021

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 17

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 342

See all reference authors

Submit your digital health research with an established publisher
- celebrating 25 years of open access