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A systematic review of the benefits of home telecare for frail elderly people and those with long-term conditions

A systematic review of the benefits of home telecare for frail elderly people and those with long-term conditions
A systematic review of the benefits of home telecare for frail elderly people and those with long-term conditions
We have conducted a systematic review of home telecare for frail elderly people and for patients with chronic conditions. We searched 17 electronic databases, the reference lists of identified studies, conference proceedings and Websites for studies available in January 2006. We identified summaries of 8666 studies, which were assessed independently for relevance by two reviewers. Randomized controlled trials of any size and observational studies with 80 or more participants were eligible for inclusion if they examined the effects of using telecommunications technology to (a) monitor vital signs or safety and security in the home, or (b) provide information and support. The review included 68 randomized controlled trials (69%) and 30 observational studies with 80 or more participants (31%). Most studies focused on people with diabetes (31%) or heart failure (29%). Almost two-thirds (64%) of the studies originated in the US; more than half (55%) had been published within the previous three years. Based on the evidence reviewed, the most effective telecare interventions appear to be automated vital signs monitoring (for reducing health service use) and telephone follow-up by nurses (for improving clinical indicators and reducing health service use). The cost-effectiveness of these interventions was less certain. There is insufficient evidence about the effects of home safety and security alert systems. It is important to note that just because there is insufficient evidence about some interventions, this does not mean that those interventions have no effect.
aged chronic disease cost benefit analysis elderly care frail elderly health care delivery human methodology monitoring review safety social support telemedicine Cost-Benefit Analysis Delivery of Health Care Health Services for the Aged Humans Monitoring, Physiologic
1357-633X
172-179
Barlow, J.
dfca349c-242a-4aae-babb-e362d0817e43
Singh, D.
27b3c58a-d911-4128-b94c-ea5d172167b3
Bayer, S.
28979328-d6fa-4eb7-b6de-9ef97f8e8e97
Curry, R.
a426dc90-9f99-47ef-93a5-21787c20e0a0
Barlow, J.
dfca349c-242a-4aae-babb-e362d0817e43
Singh, D.
27b3c58a-d911-4128-b94c-ea5d172167b3
Bayer, S.
28979328-d6fa-4eb7-b6de-9ef97f8e8e97
Curry, R.
a426dc90-9f99-47ef-93a5-21787c20e0a0

Barlow, J., Singh, D., Bayer, S. and Curry, R. (2007) A systematic review of the benefits of home telecare for frail elderly people and those with long-term conditions. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 13 (4), 172-179. (doi:10.1258/135763307780908058).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We have conducted a systematic review of home telecare for frail elderly people and for patients with chronic conditions. We searched 17 electronic databases, the reference lists of identified studies, conference proceedings and Websites for studies available in January 2006. We identified summaries of 8666 studies, which were assessed independently for relevance by two reviewers. Randomized controlled trials of any size and observational studies with 80 or more participants were eligible for inclusion if they examined the effects of using telecommunications technology to (a) monitor vital signs or safety and security in the home, or (b) provide information and support. The review included 68 randomized controlled trials (69%) and 30 observational studies with 80 or more participants (31%). Most studies focused on people with diabetes (31%) or heart failure (29%). Almost two-thirds (64%) of the studies originated in the US; more than half (55%) had been published within the previous three years. Based on the evidence reviewed, the most effective telecare interventions appear to be automated vital signs monitoring (for reducing health service use) and telephone follow-up by nurses (for improving clinical indicators and reducing health service use). The cost-effectiveness of these interventions was less certain. There is insufficient evidence about the effects of home safety and security alert systems. It is important to note that just because there is insufficient evidence about some interventions, this does not mean that those interventions have no effect.

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More information

Published date: 2007
Keywords: aged chronic disease cost benefit analysis elderly care frail elderly health care delivery human methodology monitoring review safety social support telemedicine Cost-Benefit Analysis Delivery of Health Care Health Services for the Aged Humans Monitoring, Physiologic
Organisations: Geography, Decision Analytics & Risk, NETSCC

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 410490
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/410490
ISSN: 1357-633X
PURE UUID: f56da44d-1676-45ae-9180-577a9eb3f07a
ORCID for S. Bayer: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7872-467X

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Date deposited: 09 Jun 2017 09:00
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:28

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Contributors

Author: J. Barlow
Author: D. Singh
Author: S. Bayer ORCID iD
Author: R. Curry

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