Factors Affecting Older Adult Proficiency in Using an Electronic Personal Health Record

摘要

Given the call to reform health care to improve quality of care and integration of new technology, this study examined participants' proficiency in entering health information into an electronic personal health record (ePHR) via computer interface. While current research has focused on adoption rates and satisfaction, examination of live-demonstration ePHR use and factors related to ePHR proficiency have not been undertaken.;This study examined live-demonstration ePHR use with 50 community-dwelling, English-speaking adults age 55 years and older. During their one visit, participants provided self-report data (demographics, perceived computer experience and computer competence), visual acuity and mild cognitive impairment were assessed. Participants were provided a standard set of data to enter into a computer-based ePHR. Outcome data (accuracy, completeness, elapsed time and help requests) measured ePHR proficiency. Automatic linear modeling identified three variables as primarily related to electronic personal health record proficiency: Age, Computer Competency, and Mental Status and accounted for 52% of variability in electronic personal health record data entry proficiency. Path modeling identified the variables Age (--.41 p = .01), Daily Computer Use (--.31 p = .05), and Computer Competence (.34 p = .03), as having significant direct effects on ePHR proficiency. These findings present factors that may influence ePHR use by older adults and an algorithm to inform healthcare practitioners in promotion of older adults ePHR use was presented.