The Digital Barrier Among Elderly Cancer Patients in Modern Oncological Care

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Autori/ Authors: Mária Novysedláková      Marcela Ižová       Mariana Magerčiaková

In: Zdravotnícke štúdie

ISSN: 1337-723X

Ročník/ Volume: XVIII

Číslo/ Issue: 2

Strany/ Page Range: 36-40

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Slovak

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract:
Východiská/ Background: The digitalisation of healthcare (eHealth) and telemedicine monitoring bring fundamental innovations to the management of oncology patients. For the elderly population, however, these technologies may represent a new form of social and healthcare exclusion.
Cieľ/ Objective: Analyzing the digital divide phenomenon in the context of Slovak oncological practice, with a specific focus on the interplay between treatment-induced cognitive decline (chemobrain) and older adults‘ capacity to engage with eHealth platforms.
Metódy/ Methods: This research was carried out as a comprehensive review study, employing a literature search of relevant clinical publications in international databases combined with a secondary analysis of socio-demographic data from Eurostat, the Institute for Public Affairs, and the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic for the 2018–2026 period. Keywords focused on the digital barriers faced by older cancer patients and the impact of oncological treatment.
Výsledky/ Results: Findings confirm that a three-tiered digital divide persists among older adults in the Slovak Republic. While material internet access is rising, eHealth literacy remains the critical barrier—one that is fundamentally compromised by the neurotoxic side effects of antineoplastic therapy, which result in a 45% to 60% reduction in executive functioning, working memory, and information processing speed.
Záver/ Conclusion: To mitigate widening health inequities, supportive models must be integrated directly into clinical practice, focusing on the deployment of digital navigators and the rigorous application of inclusive application design principles.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: Digital divide. Oncology patient. Older adults. eHealth. Chemobrain.

Citácia/ How to cite:
NOVYSEDLÁKOVÁ, Mária; IŽOVÁ, Marcela a MAGERČIAKOVÁ, Mariana, 2026. Digitálna bariéra seniorov s onkologickým ochorením v modernej onkologickej starostlivosti. Zdravotnícke štúdie. Online. Roč. XVIII, č. 2, s. 36-40. ISSN 1337-723X. Dostupné na: 

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.