Using an educational video vs. in-person education to measure patient perceptions of an online self-management support system for chronic illness

The study is about comparing the users’ perception and understanding of an online healthcare support system in two different situations and groups: Internet-panel group and In-person group. In the first group (Internet-panel), the participants were a group of patients, suffering from at least one type of chronic disease, who were chosen remotely from Canada and the United States. In the second group (In-person), participants were a group of outpatients in St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, who were suffering from at least one type of chronic disease. A short video clip was produced and used to educate the Internet-panel about the functionality and features of an online self-management support system for chronic illnesses (the system). After watching the video, participants were given a survey to test their perceptions of the system. For the In-person group, a nurse educated the patients about the functionalities of the system and later they answered to an identical survey. The UTAUT2, a pre-validated model of technology adoption, was used in the form of a Structured Equation Model to test the participants’ perceptions in both groups of the study. A PLS statistical method was used for data analysis. The results of the two groups were compared; it showed that using a short video to introduce and educate patients with the different aspects and features of a highly complex technology, is as effective as time-consuming in-person education. The key is to develop relatable scenarios of using the technology and to focus on the structure of the video and the material that is conveyed to audience through the video.