Patient’s Utilization of Health Information Technologies for Disease Self-Management

Background: The rapid growth of Health Information Technologies (HITs) provides patients with greater opportunity to take control over their health. HITs utilization has been proven to be a critical component of disease self-management and can result in positive outcomes. Its widespread adoption and utilization is still relatively low among patients with chronic disease. It is important to understand the factors that may impact HITs utilization, such as the perceived Task-Technology Fit (TTF). A very limited number of studies have examined the relationship between HITs utilization and the perceived fit between task and technology in the context of TTF theory. Aims/ Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that impact patient utilization of HITs for disease self-management. We examined the relationships between patient demographics and their utilization of HITs in relation to disease self-management and TTF. Methods and Design: A quantitative descriptive correlational research design was used for this data-based study. Data from the most recent Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, cycle 2) collected in 2018 was used for this study, (N= 3,504). Results: Sociodemographic disparities still exist among patient groups in terms of HITs utilization for disease self-management. Patients with lower education attainment and lower income were less likely to access their online medical records. Also, these study findings show a significant positive relationship between perceived TTF and patient utilization of the various HITs. Open communication and discussions with healthcare provider remain the most frequently reported HIT attribute associated with patient utilization of HITs for disease self-management. Implications: Findings of this study may inform a better understanding of TTF factors. This new knowledge may influence HITs developers to include the patient perspective in future designs. These study findings may also assist researchers in developing tailored interventions that are driven by the unique individual patient technological needs for disease self-management, which in turn, can promote patient safety, improve health outcomes, and enhance the utilization of such technologies

Health Care Coverage and Access for Children in Low-Income Families: Stakeholder Perspectives from Colorado

An important question to ask about any health care system is how well it serves children in low-income families. In Colorado, as in many states, there are reasons to ask that question with optimism and concern. On one hand, the proportion of eligible Colorado children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) increased from 70 percent in 2008 to 84 percent in 2013. The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the reauthorization of CHIP in 2015, and earlier Colorado policies to expand Medicaid and CHIP help protect these gains. But uncertainty exists: although Colorado expanded Medicaid and established a state-run health insurance Marketplace, Medicaid's rapid growth in the state may become politically contentious,and the Marketplace faces a challenging transition from a start-up to a sustainable entity. Moreover, CHIP is funded only through 2017 and reauthorized until 2019; there are concerns about how Colorado would cover children if CHIP were eliminated. This issue brief was prepared as part of a small-scale qualitative study funded by the Colorado Health Foundation to convey recent policy developments, remaining unmet needs, and emerging issues in children's health care coverage and delivery, from the perspective of knowledgeable stakeholders. Issue briefs on children's health in California and Texas and a cross-state analysis are also available

America's Hispanic Children: Gaining Ground, Looking Forward

The purpose of the study was to "widen the lens" by highlighting the positive trends among Hispanic youth. More young Latino children are enrolling in center-based care programs which are more likely to be of a higher educational quality than home-based care and other alternatives. Other highlights include Latino students posting solid gains on national assessments in key subject areas, more Latinos than ever before earning a high school diploma, and a record number of Hispanics enrolling in two- or four-year colleges. A greater sense of responsibility among Latino youth was also revealed in the study, indicated by falling teen pregnancy rates -- declines have been greater in the last four years for Latinas than other ethnic groups -- and a decrease in smoking and binge drinking habits among high school seniors. Latino teens' use of technology is also promising. While less likely to own a cell phone than their peers, they are avid users of smartphones and tablets. The Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends Project reported Hispanics are the only group to see poverty rates decline and incomes increase, but despite these gains, Hispanics have the largest number of people living in poverty when compared with other minority groups. "Nearly one-third of Latino children live below the poverty line, and a roughly equal share, while not poor by official definition, has family incomes just adequate to meet basic needs," the Child Trends study states

Health App Possession Among Smartphone or Tablet Owners in Hong Kong: Population-Based Survey

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How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms

A survey of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers shows that digital tools are widely used in their classrooms and professional lives. Yet, many of these high school and middle school teachers worry about digital divides when it comes to their students' access to technology and those who teach low-income students face obstacles in bringing technology into their teaching

Is there really a way to prevent cancer? : Exploring cancer prevention information seeking among cancer patients and their caregivers

This thesis investigated cancer prevention information (CPI) seeking among cancer patients and their caregivers. Interviews that were conducted in 2011 were analyzed thematically to deconstruct perceptions and sources of CPI among 47 participants. The thematic narrative analysis of the predominantly Hispanic, low-income and low-education sample revealed differences in CPI seeking related to ways cultural practices and socioeconomic status impact information seeking. The digital divide, Spanish language and perceived high cost presented barriers to information yet created opportunities for patients and family members to emerge as health champions to share information interpersonally and intergenerationally. Understanding CPI processes of racial and ethnic minority, low-income, and Spanish-speaking patients and family members is necessary to better meet the needs of these populations

Mental health mobile app use: Considerations for serving underserved patients in integrated primary care settings

Depression, the most commonly experienced mental illness, affects more than 264 million people and is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide [1]. Depression, or major depressive disorder, is characterized by depressed mood and often accompanies other symptoms such as lack of interest, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, impaired thinking, psychomotor agitation or slowing, thoughts of being better off dead and/or of suicide [2]. According to the 2018 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 17.7 million or 7.7% of U.S. adults met the criteria for having a major depressive episode in the past year [3]. The prevalence of depression is closely related to socioeconomic factors and prevalence increases as family income level decreases. For example, 19.8% of women aged 20 years and older living below the federal poverty level (FPL) experience depression compared to only 4.8% of those living at or above 400% of the FPL [4]. Despite the availability of safe and effective treatments, many adults diagnosed with depressive disorders do not receive treatment [5]. Of the 17.7 million adults (≥ 18 years) meeting criteria for a major depressive disorder in the past year, only 64.8% reported having received treatment for depression [3]. There are disparities in receipt of treatment for mental health care, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups. Only about 30% of African American and Hispanic adults (≤18 years) with any mental illness receive treatment, compared to 43.3% of the overall U.S. population [3]. Further, for those with lower education, the odds of receiving treatment declined (women) or remained stable (men) between 2005 and 2014 [6]