Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35389360›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2022

Frequency and Correlates of Online Consultations With Doctors or Therapists in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Study.

André Hajek, Hans-Helmut König

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

André HajekDepartment of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6886-2745
Hans-Helmut KönigDepartment of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5711-6862
Universität Hamburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA few studies have identified the frequency and correlates of online consultations with doctors or therapists. However, there is a lack of studies using nationally representative data from middle-aged and older adults in Germany.

objectiveThis study aims to determine the frequency and correlates of online consultations with doctors or therapists in Germany.

methodsFor this study, cross-sectional data were taken from the nationally representative German Ageing Survey (DEAS; n=3067 in the analytical sample; age range 46-98 years). As part of the DEAS, a short survey was conducted between June 8 and July 22, 2020, examining the everyday life and living conditions among these middle-aged and older individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The frequency of online consultations with doctors or therapists served as the dependent variable (daily, several times a week, once a week, 1-3 times a month, less often, and never). Multiple logistic regressions were performed.

resultsIn sum, 10.02% (381/3806) of individuals with access to the internet had online consultations with doctors or therapists. Multiple logistic regressions showed that the likelihood of using online consultations with doctors or therapists (compared with those never using such services) was positively associated with higher education (compared with medium education; odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% CI 1.01-1.70), living with a partner in the same household (compared with single; OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05-2.22), poorer self-rated health (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.74), increased loneliness (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.10-1.90), and increased satisfaction with life (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.64).

conclusionsStudy findings suggest that a non-negligible proportion of about 1 out of 10 individuals aged 46 years and over had online consultations with doctors or therapists. However, compared with other countries, this proportion remains small. Knowledge about the correlates of (non)use may assist in identifying corresponding individuals. In times of reshaping the health care system, these efforts in online consultations with doctors or therapists may contribute to addressing patient needs. Moreover, increased use of such services may reduce the risk of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 by reducing social contact.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMiddle AgedReferral and ConsultationSARS-CoV-2COVID-19digital healthdoctoronline consultationsSARS-CoV-2telehealththerapists

Identifiers

PMID35389360
PMCPMC9030975
OpenAlexW4223476929

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.