“My Personal Doctor Will not Be Replaced with Any Robot Service!”: Older Adults’ Experiences with Personal Health Information and eHealth Services

Abstract

The ways of preservations of personal health and medical information vary, from digital to paper-based approaches. This study examines older people’s experiences on eHealth services, including benefits. A postal survey was mailed to a random population sample of 1,500 individuals aged 55–70. A total of 373 (25%) responses were received. The mean age was 63.2 (SD 4.7) years of which 225 (60.6%) were women. This study focuses on the open-ended questions on personal health information management and views of eHealth services. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Older adults’ experiences and attitudes are divided. The best possible eHealth service would contain versatile health information and combine information from different healthcare sectors. It would be easy to use and up-to-date, but would also allow the possibility to contact a real human being, such as via video connection. The findings reflect capabilities needed for personal health information management, relating to health information literacy.