A looming digital divide? Group differences in the perceived importance of electronic health records

Abstract

Electronic health records (EHRs) are expected to bring a variety of health benefits, including reducing disparities in health-care access, but only if they are valued by all patient populations. We used the 2007 Health Information and National Trends Survey to characterize which health-care users report that electronic access to their health records is important for themselves and their providers. Respondents from populations that generally experience health-care disparities (Blacks, Latina/os, and patients with psychological distress) were among the most likely to report that the EHR was very important for themselves. Women were less likely than men to deem the EHR very important for their providers. Findings remained consistent after controlling for respondents’ socioeconomic status, health status, and health care. By identifying the characteristics of current health-care users who see electronic access to records as important for themselves and providers, we can better understand potential barriers as well as motivators to adoption that could contribute to equitable usage across groups or a digital divide.

Keywords:

• digital divide
• electronic health records
• health disparities
• health information technology

Acknowledgments

The funding agency had no role in the study design, management, analysis, interpretation, or approval of this study. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the HHS.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Denise Anthony is Professor of Sociology and Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives at Dartmouth College. Her work explores issues of cooperation, trust and privacy in a variety of settings, from health care delivery to micro-credit borrowing groups to online environments. Professor Anthony's work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and others, and published in sociology, health policy and computer science journals.

Celeste Campos-Castillo received a PhD in sociology from the University of Iowa. She is an assistant professor in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her current research examines how patients manage concerns over the privacy of their health information, how information technologies may narrow or widen inequalities, the formation and resiliency of interpersonal trust, and how message framing persuades intended audiences.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT [grant number HHS 90TR0003/01].