Predictive Variables of the Use of Personal Health Record: The Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires Study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: although trends in consumer research suggest growing interest in using electronic PHRs, actual utilization of PHRs technologies is still low. OBJECTIVE: to identify those conditions that make patients at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (HIBA) use a PHR. STUDY DESIGN: Analytic Cross-sectional study. RESULTS: the average age was 55.5 years (SD 19.8), 60.5% were female (39.5%, IC95%). The rate of enrolled were almost 50% and the rate of people usage was 29.1% (95% IC 28, 87 - 29.4). The patient's characteristics that influence in PHR usage were: the presence of at least one comorbidity (disabilities or chronic conditions), look for medical assistance during the last year, female and middle age. CONCLUSION: In this study the patient's characteristics that were most likely to use our PHR were similar to what another authors published. Future research is needed to understand social, cultural and organizational issues that influences into the rate of adoption and usage.