Experiences of an internet-based rehabilitation program: An interview study among individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders.

INTRODUCTION

Given the rapid development of digital healthcare interventions, incorporating patients' perspectives is essential. However, experiences of internet-based exercise programs for chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) remain unexplored. The aim of this study was to explore and describe experiences of an internet-based rehabilitation program combined with four physiotherapy visits for individuals with chronic WAD from a quality-of-care perspective.

METHODS

This study employed a qualitative explorative and descriptive study design. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 individuals with chronic WAD who had participated in an internet-based rehabilitation program combined with four physiotherapy visits. Data were analysed using a deductive qualitative content analysis based on Donabedian's model of quality of care (structure, process, and outcome).

RESULTS

The analysis resulted in three deductively-developed categories: appraisal of content and technical structure of the internet-supported program (structure); patient actions during the rehabilitation process with or without interaction with the internet-supported program (process); and describing valuable outcomes from the patient's perspective (outcomes). Each category was supported by 3-5 sub-categories.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with chronic WAD participating in a neck exercise program with digital support experienced positive health outcomes. The digital format was appreciated, but a more user-friendly format would have been preferred. Instead, the informants relied more on the physiotherapists' instructions, and the digital support served as a good complement to the visits at the physiotherapy clinic. Further knowledge is needed regarding how to combine digital and face-to-face visits and how to make digital interventions in healthcare more user-friendly for both patients and healthcare providers.