Facilitators and barriers to blood pressure telemonitoring: A mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Telemonitoring of blood pressure (BP) may improve BP control. However, many patients are not using BP telemonitoring due to personal, technological, and health system barriers. Individuals are required to have electronic health literacy (e-HL), defined as knowledge and skills to use technology services effectively, such as BP telemonitoring. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the facilitators and barriers experienced by patients with hypertension in telemonitoring of BP using the e-HL framework (e-HLF). METHODS: This study was a prospective mixed-methods study using a convergent design. We recruited a convenience sample of 21 patients with hypertension. The qualitative section was online or phone individual in-depth interviews based on the e-HLF, which has seven domains. The quantitative section was an online survey consisting of demographics, an e-HL questionnaire, and patient–provider communication preferences. A joint display was used in the mixed-methods analysis. RESULTS: Five themes including knowledge, motivation, skills, systems, and behaviors along with 28 subthemes comprising facilitators or barriers of BP telemonitoring were identified. The mixed-methods results showed concordance between the participants’ e-HL status and their experiences in the ability to actively engage with BP monitoring and managing digital services (domain 3) of the e-HLF. Other e-HL domains showed discordance. CONCLUSION: Patients may engage with BP telemonitoring when they feel the usefulness of concurrent access to telemonitoring services that suit their needs.