Skip to main content

Home Internet Use among Hospice Service Recipients: Recommendations for Web-Based Interventions

Journal of Medical Systems volume 31, pages 385–389 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

A growing number of researchers are exploring strategies to improve hospice care through the use of web-based technologies. This study of 50 hospice patients and caregivers was conducted in order to obtain data describing home internet use among hospice service recipients. Over half (58%) of respondents reported having home internet access, with most using a dial-up connection. Primary reasons for accessing the web included e-mail and information searches. Findings suggest that the hospice industry should explore adopting web-based technologies as a strategy to enhance rather than replace traditional care. Providers must consider the strengths and potential limitations of patients and caregivers when designing online services. Specific recommendations for web-based hospice interventions are discussed at length.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (Canada)

References

  1. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (2006a). NHPCO’s facts and figures—2005 findings. Retrieved December 19, 2006, from http://www.nhpco.org/files/public/2005-facts-and-figures.pdf

  2. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (2006b).What is hospice? Retrieved December 19, 2006, from http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3466

  3. Pereira, J., Bruera, E., Macmillan, K., and Kavanaugh, S., Palliative care patients and their families on the Internet: Motivation and impact. J. Palliat. Care. 16:13–19, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Coleman, J., Olsen, S., Sauter, P., Baker, D., Hodgin, M., Stanfield, C., Emerling, A., Hruban, R., and Nolan, M., The effect of a frequently asked questions module on a pancreatic web site patient/family chat room. Cancer Nurs. 28:460–468, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lind, L. and Karlsson, D., A system for symptom management in advanced palliative home healthcare using digital pens. Med. Inform. Internet Med. 29:199–210, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Willis, L., Demiris, G., and Parker Oliver, D., Internet use by hospice families and providers: A review. J. Med. Syst. 31:97–101, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Rideout, V., Neuman, T., and Kitchman, M. (2005). e-Health and how the seniors use the Internet for health information. Retrieved December 14, 2006, from the Kaiser Family Foundation Website: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/e-Health-and-the-Elderly-How-Seniors-Use-the-Internet-for-Health-Information-Key-Findings-From-a-National-Survey-of-Older-Americans-Survey-Report.pdf

  8. Fox, S. (2004). Older Americans and the Internet. Retrieved December 14, 2006, from http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Seniors_Online_2004.pdf

  9. Lenhart, A., Horrigan, J., Rainie, L., Allen, K., Boyce, A., Madden, M., and O’Grady, E,. The ever-shifting internet population: a new look at internet access and the digital divide. Retrieved December 20, 2006, (2004) from http://www.pewinternet.org/ pdfs/PIP_Shifting_Net_Pop_Report.pdf

  10. Dobransky, K., and Hargittai, E., The disability divide in internet access and use. Inf. Commun. Soc. 9:313–334, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Pew Internet and American Life Project. (2007). Demographics of internet users. Retrieved June 1, 2007, from http://www.pewinternet.org/trends/User_Demo_4.26.07.htm

  12. Day, M., Demiris, G., Parker Oliver, D., Courtney K., and Hensel B., Exploring underutilization of videophones in hospice settings. Telemedicine and e-health 13:25–32, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Demiris, G., Parker Oliver, D., Fleming, D. A., and Edison, K., Hospice staff attitudes towards “telehospice.” Am. J. Hosp. Palliat. Care 21:343–347, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Horrigan, J., Home broadband adoption 2006. Retrieved December 12, 2006, (2006) from http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_trends2006.pdf

  15. Demiris, G., Parker Oliver, D. R., and Courtney K., A study of the suitability of videophones for psychometric assessment. Behav. Inf. Technol. 25:233–237, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Demiris, G., Speedie, S., Finkelstein, S., and Harris I., Communication patterns and technical quality of virtual visits in home care. J. Telemed. Telecare 9:210–215, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ostberg, O., Lindstrom, B., and Renhall, P.O., Contribution of display size to speech intelligibility in videophone systems. Int. J. Hum.-Comput. Interact. 1:149–159, 1989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Singley, M. K., and Anderson, J. R., The Transfer of Cognitive Skill (300pages). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Internet activities. Retrieved June 1, 2007, (2007). from http://www.pewinternet.org/trends/Internet_Activities_ 1.11.07.htm

  20. Cook, A. M., Finlay, I. G., and Butler-Keating, R. J., Issues in research. Recruiting into palliative care trials: Lessons learnt from a feasibility study. Palliat. Med. 16:163–165, 2002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. McMillan, S. C., and Weitzner, M. A., Methodologic issues in collecting data from debilitated patients with cancer near the end of life. Oncol. Nurs. Forum. 30:123–9, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sentilhes-Monkam, A., and Serryn, D., Conducting research in the palliative care population. Eur. J. Palliat. Care. 11:23–6, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by the John A. Hartford Foundation Social Work Faculty Scholars Program, the University of Missouri Research Board, and the National Cancer Institute R21CA1201790-02.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Missouri-Columbia, 724 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Karla T. Washington & Michele Day

  2. Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, School of Nursing & Biomedical and Health Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, BNHS-Box 357266, Seattle, WA, 98195-7266, USA

    George Demiris

  3. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, MA306G, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA

    Debra Parker Oliver

Authors
  1. Karla T. Washington
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. George Demiris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Debra Parker Oliver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michele Day
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karla T. Washington.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Washington, K.T., Demiris, G., Oliver, D.P. et al. Home Internet Use among Hospice Service Recipients: Recommendations for Web-Based Interventions. J Med Syst 31, 385–389 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-007-9080-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-007-9080-1

Keywords

  • Hospice
  • Internet
  • Web-based interventions
  • Palliative care
  • End-of-life