Challenges faced in the use of electronic services by disability services clients and the success of their support: A professional perspective

Authors

• Emma Kainiemi THL
• Lotta Virtanen Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9364-5219
• Petra Saukkonen Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3035-4451
• Anu-Marja Kaihlanen Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4033-3673
• Anna Väre Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos
• Maria Valtokari Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos
• Päivi Nurmi-Koikkalainen Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1842-6670
• Tarja Heponiemi Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8540-049X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.127861

Keywords:

COVID-19, disability services, electronic services, exclusion

Abstract

As social services are increasingly offered by electronic means, it is important to examine the challenges people with disabilities encounter in the use of electronic services. Employees of disability services are in a key role in detecting potential challenges related to customers' use of electronic services and, if necessary, providing support for the use of services. This study describes the challenges perceived by employees and examined how successfully the support was implemented and which factors are associated with this assumption during the COVID19-pandemic.

The research data was collected from employees of disability services in the spring 2022. This cross-sectional study utilized qualitative answers given in the open text field of the survey, in addition to the quantitative data. The data was analysed using inductive content analysis and logistic regression analysis.

A total of 428 employees of disability services participated in the study (average age 46.0 years; 85.5% women). The employees reported of the following challenges in the use of their customers' electronic services: functional limitations, lack of technological devices and network connections, challenges related to accessibility and usability  of services, lack of interest, insufficient support, and the need for face-to-face encounters.

The majority considered that the customers were not successfully supported in the use of electronic services. Employees working in housing services (OR 1.83 [95% CI 1.14–2.93]) and those who were assigned to another work due to the COVID19-pandemic (OR 1.98 [95% CI 1.05–3.74]) had greater odds of perceiving that the customers were not successfully supported in the use on electronic services, compared to their counterparts. In addition, those employees who experienced that their colleagues lacked a positive attitude towards electronic services (OR 1.80 [95% CI 1.05–3.07]) had greater odds of perceiving that support was not successfully implemented.

The challenges faced by customers of disability services in using electronic services must be reduced, for example, by improving the availability of the necessary technological devices and aids. Efforts must also be made to improve the accessibility and usability of the services. Organizations must provide employees training in supporting customers' use of electronic services. A positive working atmosphere for digitalization and a clear understanding of each employee's own role and job description are important in terms of the customers’ support for using electronic services.