Article Figures & Data
Tables
Characteristic Respondents No. Weighted % (95% CI) Sex Male 1,241 48.7 (46.8–50.6) Female 1,924 51.3 (49.4–53.2) Age-group, y 18–34 435 26.8 (25.3–28.3) 35–49 727 30.3 (28.7–31.9) 50–64 1,102 25.3 (24.7–25.9) ≥65 901 17.5 (17.0–18.0) Race/ethnicity Hispanic 584 15.4 (14.4–16.3) Non-Hispanic black 501 10.9 (9.8–12.0) Non-Hispanic othera 243 7.2 (6.7–7.6) Non-Hispanic white 1,836 66.6 (65.0–68.1) Education level Less than high school 303 9.7 (8.5–10.9) High school graduate 715 24.5 (22.6–26.5) Some college 953 32.6 (30.8–34.3) College graduate or more 1,194 33.2 (32.7–33.6) Income group <$20,000 796 21.0 (19.0–23.0) $20,000 to <$35,000 470 14.3 (12.3–16.3) $35,000 to <$50,000 460 14.7 (12.3–17.1) $50,000 to <$75,000 523 17.8 (15.7–20.0) ≥$75,000 916 32.2 (29.8–34.5) Professional trust information Low/no trust 352 16.7 (16.3–17.1) High trust 2,813 83.3 (82.9–83.7) Professional trust care Low/no reliance 988 31.3 (28.7–33.9) High reliance 2,177 68.7 (66.1–71.3) Used text messaging for health information exchange in past year No 395 14.0 (11.5–16.4) Yes 2,770 86.0 (83.6–88.5) Used mobile application for health information exchange in past year No 2,974 93.6 (92.1–95.1) Yes 191 6.4 (4.9–7.9) ↵a Aggregated because of small sample sizes in the Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, and multiple races categories.
- Table 2
Frequency of Willingness to Exchange Health Information via Mobile Device According to Health Information Type
Type of Health Information Willingness to Exchange, Weighted % (95% CI) Not at All A Little Somewhat Very Appointment reminders 15.1 (13.3–16.9) 8.6 (6.8–10.3) 19.2 (16.7–21.7) 57.2 (54.1–60.2) General health tips 26.5 (24.2–28.8) 17.7 (15.3–20.2) 25.1 (22.8–27.4) 30.6 (28.0–33.3) Medication reminders 24.2 (22.1–26.3) 14.6 (12.1–17.1) 23.6 (20.8–26.5) 37.6 (34.3–40.8) Laboratory/test results 33.4 (30.0–36.8) 12.2 (10.0–14.4) 20.9 (18.8–23.1) 33.5 (30.7–36.3) Diagnostic information 43.6 (40.3–46.9) 12.1 (10.0–14.2) 19.5 (17.0–22.1) 24.8 (22.3–27.3) Vital signsa 33.0 (29.8–36.1) 13.2 (11.4–15.0) 23.3 (20.3–26.2) 30.6 (27.0–34.1) Lifestyle behaviors 31.5 (28.8–34.2) 20.2 (17.9–22.4) 23.3 (20.7–25.8) 25.1 (22.4–27.8) Symptoms 30.8 (28.1–33.5) 16.4 (13.9–18.8) 24.5 (22.1–26.9) 28.4 (25.4–31.3) Digital images/video 39.8 (37.0–42.6) 16.8 (14.6–19.1) 19.4 (16.9–21.8) 24.0 (20.8–27.2) ↵a Heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, etcetera.
- Table 3
Odds of Willingness to Exchange Health Information via Mobile Device According to Health Information Type
Type of Health Information Willingness to Exchange, Odds Ratio (95% CI)a A Little Somewhat Very Diagnostic information (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 Appointment reminders 2.05 (1.52–2.78) 2.83 (2.28–3.52) 6.66 (5.68–7.81) General health tips 2.42 (1.87–3.14) 2.11 (1.70–2.63) 2.03 (1.74–2.38) Medication reminders 2.18 (1.64–2.91) 2.18 (1.79–2.65) 2.73 (2.35–3.19) Laboratory/test results 1.32 (1.06–1.64) 1.40 (1.23–1.58) 1.76 (1.62–1.92) Vital signs 1.45 (1.17–1.80) 1.58 (1.37–1.81) 1.63 (1.48–1.80) Lifestyle behaviors 2.31 (1.92–2.79) 1.65 (1.37–1.98) 1.40 (1.24–1.58) Symptoms 1.92 (1.53–2.40) 1.77 (1.55–2.03) 1.62 (1.46–1.79) Digital images/video 1.53 (1.20–1.93) 1.09 (0.90–1.31) 1.06 (0.96–1.18) ref = reference group.
↵a Reference group was “not at all” willing.
- Table 4
Odds of Willingness to Exchange Different Types of Health Information via Mobile Devices According to Respondent Characteristics
Variable Willingness to Exchange, Odds Ratio (95% CI) Appointment Reminders General Health Tips Medication Reminders Laboratory/Test Results Diagnostic Information Vital Signs Lifestyle Behaviors Symptoms Digital Images/Video Sex Male (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Female 1.02 (0.79–1.32) 0.98 (0.78–1.24) 0.87 (0.71–1.08) 0.98 (0.79–1.22) 0.84 (0.68–1.04) 0.93 (0.75–1.15) 0.90 (0.71–1.14) 0.92 (0.72–1.17) 0.91 (0.73–1.12) Age-group, y 18–34 (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 35–49 0.84 (0.56–1.27) 0.88 (0.66–1.16) 0.84 (0.63–1.13) 0.82 (0.61–1.09) 0.81 (0.61–1.09) 0.79 (0.60–1.04) 0.82 (0.60–1.12) 0.83 (0.63–1.08) 0.79 (0.59–1.04) 50–64 0.44a 0.30–0.63) 0.51a (0.39–0.67) 0.55a (0.42–0.72) 0.63a (0.44–0.91) 0.64a (0.46–0.90) 0.52a (0.38–0.73) 0.49a (0.36–0.65) 0.51a (0.39–0.66) 0.42a (0.31–0.57) ≥65 0.23a 0.15–0.36) 0.29a (0.22–0.40) 0.35a (0.25–0.48) 0.54a (0.38–0.78) 0.54a (0.38–0.78) 0.41a (0.29–0.59) 0.35a (0.26–0.47) 0.34a (0.25–0.47) 0.29a (0.20–0.40) Race/ethnicity Hispanic 1.05 (0.72–1.54) 1.33 (0.94–1.87) 1.60a (1.09–2.35) 1.38 (0.98–1.94) 1.33 (0.95–1.87) 1.19 (0.91–1.55) 1.33 (0.95–1.86) 1.34 (0.98–1.83) 1.17 (0.86–1.59) Non-Hispanic black 0.85 (0.54–1.34) 1.14 (0.79–1.66) 1.37 (0.89–2.10) 0.81 (0.60–1.10) 0.79 (0.58–1.07) 0.93 (0.66–1.29) 1.12 (0.76–1.65) 1.07 (0.72–1.59) 1.02 (0.73–1.44) Non-Hispanic other 0.68 (0.40–1.17) 0.92 (0.57–1.49) 0.92 (0.57–1.50) 1.02 (0.60–1.71) 1.01 (0.57–1.78) 0.95 (0.57–1.56) 1.11 (0.66–1.87) 0.83 (0.46–1.49) 0.91 (0.54–1.55) Non-Hispanic white (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Education level Less than high school 0.46a (0.31–0.67) 0.48a (0.31–0.75) 0.52a 0.35–0.77) 0.75 (0.50–1.13) 0.70 (0.46–1.07) 0.62a (0.42–0.92) 0.41a (0.26–0.64) 0.57a (0.38–0.84) 0.49a (0.31–0.78) High school graduate 0.37a 0.26–0.52) 0.53a (0.38–0.74) 0.55a 0.40–0.76) 0.61a (0.46–0.81) 0.66a (0.50–0.88) 0.61a (0.46–0.81) 0.42a (0.30–0.59) 0.53a (0.39–0.72) 0.55a (0.39–0.78) Some college 0.64a 0.46–0.88) 0.88 (0.66–1.18) 0.83 (0.63–1.10) 0.81 (0.64–1.03) 0.78 (0.61–1.01) 0.79 (0.61–1.04) 0.70a (0.54–0.92) 0.83 (0.64–1.09) 0.78 (0.60–1.02) College graduate or more (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Income group <$20,000 0.64 (0.37–1.09) 0.64a (0.42–0.97) 0.73 (0.50–1.07) 0.66a (0.47–0.92) 0.92 (0.67–1.25) 0.72 (0.51–1.03) 0.70 (0.47–1.06) 0.73 (0.49–1.11) 0.63a (0.44–0.90) $20,000 to <$35,000 0.68 (0.45–1.03) 0.70 (0.45–1.10) 0.60a (0.41–0.89) 0.92 (0.62–1.38) 1.04 (0.72–1.50) 0.76 (0.53–1.08) 0.88 (0.58–1.33) 0.90 (0.60–1.36) 0.77 (0.49–1.21) $35,000 to <$50,000 0.88 (0.53–1.47) 0.74 (0.48–1.15) 0.74 (0.53–1.04) 0.83 (0.60–1.15) 1.00 (0.71–1.41) 0.85 (0.59–1.22) 0.79 (0.55–1.15) 0.94 (0.61–1.46) 0.87 (0.59–1.28) $50,000 to <$75,000 0.79 (0.51–1.21) 0.78 (0.56–1.09) 0.73a (0.54–0.99) 0.67a (0.50–0.88) 0.76 (0.56–1.01) 0.68a (0.51–0.90) 0.75 (0.54–1.03) 0.74 (0.55–1.00) 0.69a (0.51–0.95) ≥$75,000 (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Trust in health care professional Professional trust information 1.73a 1.31–2.27) 1.71a (1.42–2.06) 1.67a (1.35–2.06) 1.53a (1.18–2.00) 1.33a (1.00–1.76) 1.43a (1.13–1.80) 1.37a (1.09–1.71) 1.42a (1.16–1.73) 1.19 (0.93–1.53) Professional trust care 0.89 (0.59–1.35) 0.87 (0.63–1.20) 0.81 (0.59–1.10) 0.83 (0.57–1.21) 0.76 (0.52–1.11) 0.87 (0.62–1.23) 0.99 (0.71–1.39) 0.90 (0.65–1.25) 0.80 (0.58–1.11) Use of HIE in past year Used text messaging for HIE 1.46 (0.87–2.44) 1.27 (0.83–1.93) 1.16 (0.74–1.84) 1.24 (0.76–2.01) 1.09 (0.67–1.76) 1.27 (0.71–2.24) 1.34 (0.85–2.14) 1.45 (0.96–2.19) 1.59a (1.04–2.42) Used mobile app for HIE 1.41 (0.62–3.22) 2.64a (1.22–5.71) 2.29a (1.17–4.48) 2.27a (1.14–4.52) 1.98 (0.98–3.99) 2.24a (1.13–4.46) 1.62 (0.75–3.46) 2.04a (1.02–4.07) 1.62 (0.81–3.23) app= application; HIE = health information exchange; ref = reference group.
↵a Statistically significant.
Note: Odds ratios (95% CIs) from proportional odds models. Odds ratios are for being in the “very willing” category vs lower willingness categories.
Additional Files
The Article in Brief
Willingness to Exchange Health Information via Mobile Devices: Findings From a Population-Based Survey
Katrina J. Serrano , and colleagues
Background The growth of mobile devices offers new opportunities for patients and health care professionals to share health information electronically. This study looks at patients' willingness to electronically exchange different types of health information.
What This Study Found Patients are less willing to use mobile devices to exchange information that may be considered sensitive or complex. However, they are very willing to exchange appointment reminders, general health tips, medication reminders, laboratory test results, vital signs, lifestyle behaviors and symptoms. Regardless of the information type, older adults (aged 50 or older) have lower odds of being willing to exchange any type of information compared to younger adults (aged 18 to 34).
Implications
- The authors conclude that information type and demographic group should be considered when developing and tailoring mobile technologies for patient-provider communication.
