A master thesis from Aalborg University
Supporting patients with diabetes' disease management through improved presentations of test results: A qualitative study
Author(s)
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-06-06
Pages
56 pages
Abstract
E-health services are considered an important resource to increase the involvement and empowerment of patients in the Danish healthcare sector. All adult citizens have access to their own health data but most of it is presented in the same way as it is to healthcare professionals which can be difficult to make sense of for the patients. This study addresses this problem through an investigation of the experiences of patients with diabetes in relation to accessing and interpreting lab results. The aim is to present design concepts based on the patient’s experiences, that can inform the future design of the presentation of lab results. The empirical material is collected through 7 semi-structured qualitative interviews with patients with diabetes at a smaller Danish Regional Hospital. The interviews included a sketching exercise that contributes to the understanding of the participant’s needs. Through a phenomenological hermeneutic approach, six themes are generated that are interpreted in the perspective of the READHY model. The study shows a need for more customisable presentations of lab results that can support the patient’s individual needs. The participants all request easier identification of specific results through visual cues and simplified language. The study and the existing literature find that patients experience negative emotions in relation the checking test results. Better tools for confident interpretation might reduce this.
Documents
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