Investigating the Adoption of Telephysiotherapy among Older People in Hong Kong

Abstract

With the rapid advancements in telehealth technologies, telephysiotherapy (TPT) has emerged as a viable solution to improve accessibility to healthcare services, especially for the elderly. TPT is particularly relevant in Hong Kong, where the aging population is growing, and the demand for efficient and accessible healthcare services is increasing. However, there is a lack of systematic research on the acceptance of TPT among elderly individuals in Hong Kong. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the acceptance of TPT among the elderly in Hong Kong from multiple dimensions: examining its effectiveness in improving elderly patients’ physical and psychological outcomes, investigating the level of acceptance and resistance, identifying critical factors influencing acceptance and non-acceptance, and analysing the interplay of such factors.

In the first phase of the study, a systematic review was conducted to assess the effectiveness of TPT services in improving elderly patients’ physical and psychological outcomes. The review revealed that TPT could effectively improve elderly patients’ physical and psychological outcomes such as musculoskeleton, balance, cardiorespiratory, quality of life, pain, sensory, cognition, and emotion.

The second phase of the study involved conducting in-depth interviews with 40 elderly individuals in Hong Kong to collect qualitative data on their perceptions of TPT. Through a detailed coding process and the development of a grounded theory model, the study uncovered a generally positive attitude towards TPT, driven by its convenience, effectiveness, and the ability to receive care in the comfort of one’s home. However, concerns about the complexity and privacy issues of TPT, reluctance to change, technology anxiety, lack of assistance, and inaccessibility were also identified as significant barriers.

To address the limitations of the qualitative analysis, the third phase of the study examined the role of trust, technology anxiety (TA), social influence (SI), and facilitating condition (FC) in shaping the acceptance of TPT among older adults. A research model integrating trust, FC, TA, and SI into the technology acceptance model was created to elucidate TPT acceptance among older adults. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 398 older adults aged 60 years or above. The data were analysed by using structural equation modelling. Results showed that FC and SI positively influenced perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and trust, whereas TA negatively influenced PEOU and PU. In addition, trust was found to positively influence attitudes towards and behavioural intention to use TPT.

This research contributes to the literature by offering comprehensive insights into the acceptance of TPT among the elderly in Hong Kong. The findings can provide several valuable recommendations based on the findings to promote the use of TPT among older adults.

Date of Award	29 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Hoi Shou Alan CHAN (Supervisor)