Prevalencia del uso de las TICS e-health en adultos mayores con enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles y factores asociados en la zona urbana de Cuenca, 2018

Abstract

Background: the incidence of older adults with chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCD) increases, thus, information and communication technologies (ICTs) e-health are valuable tools for the care of their health. Objective: to determine the prevalence of the use of ICTs e-health in seniors with chronic noncommunicable diseases and associated factors in the urban area of Cuenca, 2018. Methodology: this was a prospective, cross-sectional study in 450 older adults with NCDs who lived in the urban area of Cuenca, who signed informed consent and in whom a previously validated survey was applied. The results were analyzed and processed in SPSS 15.0, and frequency distribution, measures of central tendency (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation) were used. To search for association Odds Ratio (OR) with its confidence interval of 95% was used and for statistical significance, 𝑐ℎ𝑖2 with its p value. Results: the prevalence of ICTs e-health was 88.2%. The associated factors that limited access to them were: age ≥ 75 years OR 3.12 (1,680 - 5,795, p <0.01), with out instruction OR 6.55 (2,565 - 17,422, p <0.01), without partner OR 1.91 (1,054 - 3,464), p 0.03), low-medium socioeconomic level under OR 2.58 (1,439 - 4,632, p <0.01) and having no occupation OR 3.69 (2.050 - 6.631, p <0.01). Conclusions: e-health ICTs contribute to access to health and to improving the quality of life of older adults with ECNT