The Facilitators and Barriers to Digital Health for Managing Nutrition in People With Parkinson's Disease and Their Caregivers: A Formative, Qualitative Study

Dara Lyn LoBuono, Kyla S. Shea, Megan Reed, Alison Tovar, Skye N. Leedahl, Furong Xu, Leslie Mahler, Ingrid E. Lofgren

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: Identify techniques to assist in designing digital health platforms for nutrition services for people with Parkinson's disease and caregivers to improve their quality of life. Design: Semistructured, dyadic interviews with 20 dyads (20 people with Parkinson's disease and 20 caregivers). Setting: Home visits were conducted in the northeast US. Participants: People with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers were recruited via email, flyers, news articles and announcements at support groups. Phenomenon of Interest: Identification of facilitators and barriers to using digital health platforms to inform future digital nutrition services. Analysis: Interviews were recorded, transcribed and double-coded using a framework analysis method. Results: Reported digital health platforms utilization facilitators were: knowledge acquisition, convenience, intention to use, socializing, enjoyment, and forced adoption. Barriers included: negative feelings toward technology, lack of access or knowledge, disinterest, product design, frustration and functional reliability, and applying health information. Conclusions and Implications: Although dyads often lack knowledge on both how to use technology and nutrition, they are willing to use digital health platforms to increase their nutrition knowledge if platforms are convenient. Based on the identified facilitators and barriers, the added benefits of access and training nutrition digital health platforms must be clearly communicated to end-users to improve their quality of life.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)553-563
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Volume55
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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