Background <p>Optimizing the cultural accessibility of digital healthcare tools requires understanding user perspectives on usability features and cultural appropriateness.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional survey of 3,030 caregivers (mean age 44.0, 52.9% female) and 2,108 inpatients (mean age 49.7, 54.0% female) at a Guangxi medical center (July–October 2024) assessed experiences with digital tools, support needs, and preferences for culturally adaptive features.</p> Results <p>Caregivers reported a higher adoption of digital tools than patients (caregivers: 87.1% vs. patients: 62.0%, <i>P</i>-value &lt; .001), yet 81.1% of caregivers reported unmet needs. Both groups (caregivers: 67.0%; patients: 64.0%) prioritized integrating traditional medicine over other cultural factors (language diversity, traditional medicine, folk customs, and medical resource availability). Caregivers valued interactive health management tools (73.3% vs. 66.7% among patients, <i>P</i>-value &lt; .001) and user feedback mechanisms (61.2% vs. 55.0% among patients, <i>P</i>-value &lt; .001) more than patients.</p> Conclusions <p>Despite high adoption, caregivers report significant gaps in culturally relevant support. Digital health interventions should prioritize user-centered designs, incorporating traditional medicine and addressing the divergent preferences of caregivers and patients.</p>

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Cultural adaptation of digital healthcare tools: a cross-sectional survey of caregivers and patients

  • Shuya Zhou,
  • Muzi Shen,
  • Xinge Tao,
  • Shasha Han

摘要

Background

Optimizing the cultural accessibility of digital healthcare tools requires understanding user perspectives on usability features and cultural appropriateness.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of 3,030 caregivers (mean age 44.0, 52.9% female) and 2,108 inpatients (mean age 49.7, 54.0% female) at a Guangxi medical center (July–October 2024) assessed experiences with digital tools, support needs, and preferences for culturally adaptive features.

Results

Caregivers reported a higher adoption of digital tools than patients (caregivers: 87.1% vs. patients: 62.0%, P-value < .001), yet 81.1% of caregivers reported unmet needs. Both groups (caregivers: 67.0%; patients: 64.0%) prioritized integrating traditional medicine over other cultural factors (language diversity, traditional medicine, folk customs, and medical resource availability). Caregivers valued interactive health management tools (73.3% vs. 66.7% among patients, P-value < .001) and user feedback mechanisms (61.2% vs. 55.0% among patients, P-value < .001) more than patients.

Conclusions

Despite high adoption, caregivers report significant gaps in culturally relevant support. Digital health interventions should prioritize user-centered designs, incorporating traditional medicine and addressing the divergent preferences of caregivers and patients.