687 Barriers to use of digital assistance for at-home postoperative wound care

Many patients struggle to correctly complete at-home wound care following dermatologic procedures. Smart technology can aid those who find at-home wound care difficult, but some patients are reluctant to use it. In our study, we offered a smart watch that assists with postoperative wound care to patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery. Patients offered this device took a survey that documented their consent or refusal of the technology and aspects of their backgrounds. The aim of this survey was to identify factors that may incline or disincline patients from using digital assistance for at-home wound care. We surveyed 41 patients in 2022. The ages of those surveyed ranged from 42 to >89, and 41.5% were female while 58.5% were male. Of the 41 patients, 20 (48.8%) agreed to use the digital assistant at home and 21 (51.2%) declined. The most common reason to decline participation was “I am uncomfortable using technology” (38.1%) followed by “I am unable to follow the study protocol” (28.6%). Univariate logistic regression showed study participation increased with age, with the odds of participation increasing by 1.07 for each one-year increase in age (95% CI [1.012-1.151], p=0.031). Fisher’s exact test showed participation increased if the potential participant had completed some college or a bachelor’s or master’s degree (p=0.004). Our study shows that, while older adults, who are typically most associated with faulty self-care, are more willing to accept technological assistance, those who are uncomfortable with technology or have completed less education may require additional explanations of the technology to overcome hesitancy. In our ongoing work, we will continue to define barriers to digital assistance for at-home wound care and develop solutions to overcome such barriers to improve patient self-care.