Summary
This British Medical Journal articles reports the most recent results from the trial assessing the effect of second generation, home based telehealth on health-related quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms over 12 months in patients with long term conditions. Telehealth did not improve quality of life or psychological outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, or heart failure over 12 months. This implies that home-based telehealth may not be any more – or any less – effective than usual care.
Reference
Cartwright, M. Hirani, SP. [and] Rixon, L. [et al] (2013). Effect of telehealth on quality of life and psychological outcomes over 12 months (Whole Systems Demonstrator telehealth questionnaire study): nested study of patient reported outcomes in a pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), February 26th 2013, Vol. 346(f653). (Click here to view the PubMed abstract).
[A brief reference to this item features in Dementia and Elderly Care: the Latest Evidence Newsletter (RWNHST), Volume 3 Issue 9, August 2013].
