Background/Purpose: Active and consistent self-management is essential for patients suffering from chronic diseases to improve their health.  Electronic clinical (eClinical) technology may improve how patients track and manage disease.  The aim of this study was to establish how subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) currently use technology to monitor and manage their health and their interest in using eClinical technology in clinical care.    

Methods: Subjects aged 37-90 with OA (n=104) were surveyed as part of a mode equivalence study. Subjects were diverse in age, sex, ethnicity, and technology use.  Subjects answered questions regarding how they use technology to manage disease and general health.

Results: 50% of subjects have access to a home computer, and 53% have home internet.  Subjects that use the internet most commonly use a computer (71%), smartphone (22%), or tablet (7%). 48% reported using the internet daily.  39% of subjects reported that they regularly monitor or keep track of their disease.  Of those subjects that do monitor their OA, 94% use paper and 6% use a computer or online forum.  Subjects reported that if they need more information about managing their OA they ask their physicians (88%), use the internet (42%), and ask friends/family (35%).   48% of subjects reported searching online for information about OA and/or treatments on at least a monthly basis.  With respect to OA, subjects were most likely to research information on their current treatments (83%) and the impact of diet on their disease (64%), followed by new drugs (44%), disease complications (43%), and the impact of exercise on OA (35%).  With respect to their general health, subjects were most likely to search online for recommendations about diet (68%), and least likely to research how much water they should drink (12%).  When asked about a potential smartphone application that provides educational messages about OA, subjects wanted messages to include information on the effects of foods/beverages on medications they are currently taking (69%), nutritional value of foods they currently eat (66%), and heathy alternatives to those foods (66%). 

Conclusion: This study characterized how subjects with osteoarthritis use technology to track and research their disease.  Nearly half of subjects use the internet to get information about managing their OA on a monthly basis or more.  Subjects prefer to research their current treatments and the impact of diet on disease, and would like similar information provided via smartphone app.  Understanding the type of information that patients track regarding their health may help identify areas for more effective intervention, and assist in the development of tools to improve patient engagement.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/patient-preference-for-using-technology-to-track-and-self-manage-osteoarthritis/