The use of e-health during the Covid-19 pandemic by older adults in Poland

Purpose:The aim of this research is to analyze the use of e-health and assess its usefulness to older adults in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic.It was also important to identify potential socio-demographic and health factors that may influence the use of e-health by older people.Design/methodology/approach: In this article the quantitative research method was used.A survey was conducted with 400 respondents.One-way ANOVA and chi-square (2) test were used to analyze the relationship between e-health use and various socio-demographic characteristics of respondents.Findings: The results show that several factors are associated with increased use of e-health services, including age, marital status, domicile, health, and education.Younger, married and better educated people, urban residents, and with better health are more likely to use various elements of e-health.Research limitations/implications: The importance of e-health will grow as societies age and technology develops.In future research, it would be worthwhile to investigate problems in the practical application of telehealth that raise deep concerns among older people.The use of incentives could then be increased, increasing satisfaction with e-health systems.Practical implications: Older adults should be considered the most important users of e-health, taking into account the fact that the way they use and perceive these systems is especially important for sustainable development.Social implications: This finding should inspire policymakers, especially the Ministry of Health, to increase and expand the use of e-health systems by encouraging older patients with health problems, especially from rural areas, to use remote patient monitoring technologies and ICT devices to treat their diseases.Originality/value: The use of e-health systems by older patients in Poland is on the whole inadequate.Most of these people have generally negative opinions and attitudes towards e-health services.