Social Services and Healthcare Personnel's Digital Competence Profiles: A Finnish Cross-Sectional Study

21 Pages Posted: 28 Mar 2024

See all articles by Minna Hannele Ylönen

Minna Hannele Ylönen

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Panu Forsman

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Tapio Karvo

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Erika Jarva

University of Oulu

Teuvo Antikainen

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Petri Kulmala

University of Oulu

Kristina Mikkonen

University of Oulu

Tommi Kärkkäinen

University of Jyväskylä

Raija Hämäläinen

University of Jyväskylä

Abstract

Background: Recent research has highlighted the deficiencies and variations in the digital competencies of social services and healthcare personnel. Yet there is a shortage of data regarding the ways the personnel utilise digital devices and solutions and on the attitudes towards digitalisation. Hence, a systematic investigation into the use of digital devices and solutions in healthcare is warranted.Objectives: This study aims to analyse the similarities and differences in digital competencies among healthcare personnel, focusing on the use of digital applications and services. The primary research question was to investigate what kinds of digital competence profiles are identifiable through self-assessments by social services and healthcare personnel.Methods: The survey was conducted in the Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland at the end of 2023. It utilised validated self-assessment methods and garnered 643 responses from social services and healthcare professionals. Data analysis involved quantitative cluster analysis for grouping participants and qualitative content analysis for the describing clusters.Results: The study resulted in a final model of seven clusters that presented distinct digital competence profiles with relatively even sizes. These clusters represent the different aspects of digital usage among social services and healthcare professionals and can be categorised into three overarching profiles: 1) Motivated digital experts, 2) Burdened digital users and 3) Frustrated survivors. Motivated digital experts make up almost half of the respondents (45.1%), but the findings also facilitate the identification of a small group of Frustrated survivors (7.5%) who represent burdened and stressed digital users.Conclusions: The results indicate significant variances in digital competence profiles among employees. Social services and healthcare personnel perceive the opportunities and challenges associated with digital applications and services in different ways. Further detailed research into the disparities between digital competence profiles is necessary, particularly regarding the types of support that benefit different profiles the most.

Keywords: digitalisation, digital competence, digital gaps, social services, healthcare

Suggested Citation

Ylönen, Minna Hannele and Forsman, Panu and Karvo, Tapio and Jarva, Erika and Antikainen, Teuvo and Kulmala, Petri and Mikkonen, Kristina and Kärkkäinen, Tommi and Hämäläinen, Raija, Social Services and Healthcare Personnel's Digital Competence Profiles: A Finnish Cross-Sectional Study. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4776553 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4776553

Minna Hannele Ylönen (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Panu Forsman

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Tapio Karvo

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Erika Jarva

University of Oulu ( email )

P.O. Box 4600
Oulu FIN-90014, 90570
Finland

Teuvo Antikainen

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Petri Kulmala

University of Oulu ( email )

P.O. Box 4600
Oulu FIN-90014, 90570
Finland

Kristina Mikkonen

University of Oulu ( email )

P.O. Box 4600
Oulu FIN-90014, 90570
Finland

Tommi Kärkkäinen

University of Jyväskylä

Raija Hämäläinen

University of Jyväskylä ( email )

Seminaarinkatu 30
Jyväskylä, 40100
Finland

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