Predicting Personal Healthcare Management: Impact of Individual Characteristics on Patient Use of Health Information Technology

The use of health information and health information technology by consumers is a major factor in the current healthcare systems' effort to address issues related to quality, cost, and access. Patient engagement in the healthcare process through access to information related to diagnoses, procedures, and treatment has the potential to improve health outcomes. In this study we analyzed a dataset that was representative of the U.S. population. Despite the efforts to increase the use of patient-focused technologies, there is an overall low level of use of personal healthcare management and these studies indicate that there are significant disparities in the use of health information and technology by American adults by demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Individuals with one or more chronic conditions have an increased likelihood of using personal healthcare management than individuals with no chronic conditions. Similarly, individuals with a cancer diagnosis are more likely to use personal healthcare management than individuals with no chronic conditions. Education was the factor that was most strongly associated with personal healthcare management across all populations investigated in this research. U.S. adults reporting college level education were up to 2.8 times more likely to use personal healthcare management than those with less than college level education. Similar disparities were found related to personal healthcare management use based upon family income, access to a usual place for receiving healthcare, and insurance coverage. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]