Determining Barriers and Facilitators Associated With Willingness to Use a Personal Health Information Management System to Support Worksite Wellness Programs

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the barriers and facilitators associated with willingness to use personal health information management (PHIM) systems to support an existing worksite wellness program (WWP).

Design: The study design involved a Web-based survey.

Setting: The study setting was a regional hospital.

Subjects: Hospital employees comprised the study subjects.

Measures: Willingness, barriers, and facilitators associated with PHIM were measured.

Analysis: Bivariate logit models were used to model two binary dependent variables. One model predicted the likelihood of believing PHIM systems would positively affect overall health and willingness to use. Another predicted the likelihood of worrying about online security and not believing PHIM systems would benefit health goals.

Results: Based on 333 responses, believing PHIM systems would positively affect health was highly associated with willingness to use PHIM systems (p < .01). Those comfortable online were 7.22 times more willing to use PHIM systems. Participants in exercise-based components of WWPs were 3.03 times more likely to be willing to use PHIM systems. Those who worried about online security were 5.03 times more likely to believe PHIM systems would not help obtain health goals.

Conclusions: Comfort with personal health information online and exercise-based WWP experience was associated with willingness to use PHIM systems. However, nutrition-based WWPs did not have similar effects. Implementation barriers relate to technology anxiety and trust in security, as well as experience with specific WWP activities. Identifying differences between WWP components and addressing technology concerns before implementation of PHIM systems into WWPs may facilitate improved adoption and usage.

Keywords: Health: fitness/physical activities, medical self-care, nutrition, and weight control; Outcome measure: behavioral; Personal Health Information Management, Health IT, Employee Health, Worksite Wellness, Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research; Research purpose: modeling/relationship testing; Setting: workplace; Strategy: skill building/behavior change; Study design: nonexperimental; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: education level.