JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital technology in health and social care can improve the well-being of people with long-term health conditions, but prior research has identified factors that hinder its adoption, particularly accessibility issues and challenges to its integration into everyday life. It is therefore important to fully understand both the facilitators and hindrances to the adoption of such technology.

Objective:

To explore the facilitators and hindrances to the adoption of digital technology in the everyday lives of adults with long-term health conditions.

Methods:

This scoping review systematically mapped relevant research following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews). Thematic analysis was used to critically analyze the identified articles.

Results:

Forty-six articles were selected that examined 5,018 adults aged 18 and over. Six themes were identified: personal characteristics and preconditions; perceived usefulness in everyday life; design and technical functionality; support and guidance; human interaction; and integrity and trustworthiness.

Conclusions:

The findings are discussed in relation to the key constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT): performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. Digital technologies support the daily lives of adults with long-term health conditions, but several challenges remain, including functionality that is not adapted to specific diseases or ages and a perceived lack of human interaction. Thus, digital technology is not a one-size-fits-all solution but should be an adaptable tool that accommodates individual preferences and contexts and that complements in-person human interactions.