JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Many supportive cancer care (SCC) services were tele-delivered during COVID-19, but what facilitates patients’ intentions to use tele-delivered SCC is unknown.

Objective:

The study aimed to use the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to investigate the factors that associated with Hong Kong breast cancer survivors’ (BCS) intentions to use various types of tele-delivered SCC.

Methods:

A sample of 209 (209/287, 72.8% completion rate) females diagnosed with breast cancer since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong (i.e., January 2020) were recruited from the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry to complete a cross-sectional survey between June - December 2022.

Results:

Hierarchical regression results showed that higher confidence in telehealth use, performance expectancy (PE; believing telehealth helps with daily tasks), social influence (SI; important others encouraging telehealth use), and facilitating conditions (FC; having resources for telehealth use) were associated with higher intentions to use tele-delivered SCC (βs ranged from 0.20, p=.01 to 0.34, p<.001). Moreover, two-way interactions emerged between education level and two of the telehealth perception variables. Education level moderated 1) between PE and intention to use tele-delivered complementary care (β=0.34, p=.04) and 2) between FC and intention to use tele-delivered peer support groups (β=0.36, p=.03). The positive associations between those telehealth perceptions and intentions were only significant among those with higher education level.

Conclusions:

This study implied that enhancing BCS’ skills in using telehealth, BCS’ and their important others’ perceived benefits of telehealth, and providing assistance for telehealth use could increase BCS’ intentions to use tele-delivered SCC. For intentions to use specific types of SCC, addressing relevant factors (PE/FC) might be particularly beneficial to those with higher education level.