Personal health care and the new media in anticoagulant treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of a more personal anticoagulant treatment follow-up routine involving the use of a personal measurement device along with the new media (e.g. the Internet).


METHODS
A telephone interview.


METHODS
The municipality of Ikaalinen with a total population of 7795.


METHODS
Forty patients on anticoagulant treatment who have personal responsibility for their treatment follow-up.


METHODS
Demographic data, data and opinions on anticoagulant treatment and data and opinions on personal health care and the new media.


RESULTS
More than two-thirds of the interviewed were generally pleased with the current AC treatment routine in the Ikaalinen area. Sixty-eight percent of the patients feel that they are able to determine the anticoagulant dosage from the follow-up test results and almost a third have independently changed their dosage. Approximately half of the interviewed were willing to take various health-related measurements at home, but approximately only 20% of the interviewed were ready to use health-related services; for example, related to the follow-up of anticoagulant treatment, through the new media.


CONCLUSIONS
Part of the population receiving anticoagulant treatment is ready to move to a more personal treatment routine involving home measurements in follow-up tests. However, most interviewed patients were not interested in using the new media as part of the new routine.
Digital Media Institute, Tampere University of Technology, Finland. heikki.lamminen@cs.tut.fi
Heikki
H
Lamminen
Samuli
S
Niiranen
Kirsi
K
Niemi
Heikki
H
Mattila
Seppo
S
Kalli
D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010548:Personal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D012648:Self Care; D020377:Self Efficacy
D000925:Anticoagulants