Effectiveness of Telemedicine: Videoconferencing for Low-Income Elderly with Hypertension

Abstract

Objectives: Develop educational materials and a classification system for remote consultations and home-based healthcare through videoconferencing, manage the blood pressure of patients through a ubiquitous-health (u-health) service, and identify its effects on the blood pressure and level of depression of the service recipients (i.e., low-income elderly patients with hypertension). Materials and Methods: This study is a nonequivalent control group pre-test–post-test, quasi-experimental study. Low-income essential hypertensive patients above 65 years of age living in public rental housing were our target group. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group of 25 who had received blood pressure monitoring as well as inbound–outbound remote video consultation and a control group of 24 who received blood pressure monitoring through u-health equipment but no other management. In total, 16 sessions were conducted twice a week for 8 weeks. Results: (1) The hypothesis that there would be a difference in the level of depression between the control group and the experimental group who received the u-health service was rejected because of the lack of a significant statistical difference (t=−0.142, p=0.889). However, there was a significant difference before and after the service in the experimental group (t=2.49, p=0.021). (2) Concerning the second hypothesis—that there would be a difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the control group and the experimental group—there was a statistically significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (F=10.26, p=0.003), but diastolic blood pressure showed no significant difference (F=2.802, p=0.101). Thus, the hypothesis was partially adopted. (3) The third hypothesis stated that the rates of sleep (p=0.012) and hobbies (p=0.036) as aspects of a healthy lifestyle in the experimental group would be significantly higher than those of the control group. Conclusions: These findings confirm that the u-health nursing service via videoconferencing made a measurable contribution to a healthier lifestyle by reducing systolic blood pressure levels compared with those who were only monitored for high blood pressure. Therefore, this service is recommended as part of a hypertension management regimen for low-income elderly people as an effective means of nursing intervention.