Use of an information web resource by family physicians to increase patient adherence to screening for cardiovascular and mental disorders

Abstract

Introduction. Cardiovascular diseases occupy a leading place in the structure of causes of mortality in Europe. In connection with military operations in Ukraine in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of mental disorders, in particular depression among the population. Cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders are closely related not only to serious impairments in everyday functioning, but also to the risk of premature death. The leading role in screening for the most common diseases belongs to the family doctor. Information technologies have been increasingly actively introduced into the practice of the healthcare system in recent decades. There is also considerable evidence of the positive impact of information applications on the process of diagnosis and treatment, but more research is needed on the use of information technologies in the practice of primary care physicians. Materials and methods. The study involved 170 primary care patients. The average age was 59 years ±13.6. The participants of the main group were tested on a specially developed information web resource “Personal Health Assessment Advisor” and received the corresponding test results with personalized recommendations. The participants of the control group received a recommendation for preventive examinations in the form of a standard consultation with a family doctor. The patients were also asked to complete a special survey to assess the usefulness and willingness to undergo examination for the prevention of cardiovascular and depression diseases on a scale from 1 to 5. The participants completed a questionnaire before and after receiving the doctor’s recommendations or undergoing computer testing, and a repeat survey was conducted a month later. Results and Discussion. The average response score for patients’ assessment of usefulness on a 5-point scale for each type of preventive examinations increased statistically significantly after using the web resource “Personal Health Advisor” in the main study group (p<0.05), and the indicator remained statistically significantly higher than the initial level after 1 month (p<0.001). The frequency of recommended examinations in the main study group was statistically significantly higher by 16% (p<0.05). The average response score for patients’ readiness to undergo preventive examinations increased statistically significantly after using the web resource “Personal Health Advisor” in the main study group (p<0.05), and the indicator remained statistically significantly higher than the initial level after 1 month (p<0.001). Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that the information web resource "Personal Health Assessment Advisor" significantly increases the frequency of recommended examinations compared to a regular doctor's consultation. It also statistically significantly increases the awareness and readiness of patients and contributes to better survival of knowledge over time.