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Game for health: How eHealth approaches might address the psychological needs of children and young people with long‐term physical conditions
Author(s) -
Thabrew Hiran,
Stasiak Karolina,
GarciaHoyos Vanessa,
Merry Sally N
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.13271
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , ehealth , medicine , anxiety , referral , gerontology , family medicine , nursing , health care , psychiatry , economics , economic growth
Aim The aim of this study was to describe the psychological experiences of children and young people with long term physical conditions, their families and clinicians and to explore if these may be improved using eHealth interventions, including online information, support and e‐therapy. Methods Totally 11 children (7–12 years), 11 young people (13–18 years), 7 parents, 11 paediatricians and 10 general practitioners participated in a series of seven semi‐structured digitally recorded focus groups. A general inductive approach was used to analyse interview data. Results Feedback consisted of five main themes: (i) the experience of long‐term physical conditions as an anxiety‐provoking journey, (ii) limited access to information and eHealth ‐related interventions to support this journey, (iii) desires for interventions that assist with multiple aspects of the illness experience, (iv) diversity of preferences regarding the format and vehicle of such interventions, (v) the importance of trust regarding the source of interventions for children, young people and families and the sustainability of new interventions for clinicians. Conclusions eHealth interventions are currently being used in a limited manner by children and young people with long‐term physical conditions and their families. Despite some concern expressed mainly by clinicians, there is overall support from all groups for the future development of eHealth interventions to address psychological issues for this audience, particularly anxiety. Relatable content, technological appeal and ease of access/referral to such interventions are likely to improve the uptake of these relatively new interventions.