Barbro Krevers Krevers*, Linköping University, Department of Medicine and Health, Sweden, Linköping, Sweden Mikael Elf*, Gothenburg University, Department of Psychology, Gothenburg, Sweden Lilas Ali*, Gothenburg University, The Institute of Health and Care Science, Gothenburg, Sweden Ingela Skärsäter*, Gothenburg University, The Institute of Health and Care Science, Gothenburg, Sweden Track: Research Presentation Topic: Participatory health care Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: LKSC Conference Center Stanford Room: Lower Lobby Date: 2011-09-17 12:30 PM – 01:30 PM Last modified: 2011-08-12

If you are the presenter of this abstract (or if you cite this abstract in a talk or on a poster), please show the QR code in your slide or poster (QR code contains this URL).

Background
The Internet is still a new field for health care service delivery. Consequently there is a need to examine the quality and usefulness of web-based support for different target groups. This requires development of a framework that adapts theories and methods concerning quality of care, since these are originally developed for a health care based on personal meetings. Several young carers of persons with mental illness shoulder great responsibility. They are vulnerable and at risk of falling ill; for this reason it is important to develop useful support that meets their needs. The present study is a part of a research project that develops and evaluates a web-based support system (WBSS) with concern for young carers’ needs. The WBSS is based on a participative design process that involves participants from the target group to accurately define their needs. The WBSS provides information and possibilities to communicate via FAQ, forum and blog with health care professionals and with other young carers in similar situations. The present aim is to evaluate the usefulness of a WBSS intervention for young carers, and to scrutinize usefulness in relation to quality of care.
Methods
240 participants 16-25 years of age, caring for a family member or a close friend with mental illness, were randomized into two groups receiving different interventions; Group A got access to the WBSS and Group B got a brochure about available supports for young people in the community. The participants completed structured questionnaires; at baseline, and after 4 and 8 months. Usefulness is measured as the intervention’s ability to meet the needs of support, defined by the participants in the design process. The usefulness is evaluated in terms of quality of care and process perspective; including participants’ expectations, use and views on the WBSS.
Results
In Group A (WBSS) 66% had positive expectations of their intervention; the corresponding proportion was 40% in Group B (brochure). The utilization of the intervention (at least once) after 8 months was 41% in Group A, and 38% in Group B. The majority of the users in Group A found the WBSS to have good structure quality: i.e. the content concerned the target group, as well as good process quality: i.e. easy to navigate and read. Less than half of the users thought that the WBSS related to their own problems and the use of interactive communication in the WBSS was low, with implications for result quality. Comparable results of views on the intervention were obtained in Group B.
Conclusions
The WBSS was considered to have good quality in several aspects; presumably due to the participatory design. Although the participants had high expectations of the WBSS the utilization was still rather low. This probably had negative influence on the result quality i.e. to what extent the WBSS could meet the participants’ needs. An important insight is that a framework for WBSS quality must also consider the governing factors for interactive usage of WBSS, in the pursuit of high quality and usefulness for the participants.