Health information technology uses for primary prevention in preventive medicine: a scoping review protocol

Establishment of primary health information in the COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sectional study of population awareness of self-testing

The global pandemic of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 is a severe threat to human health. This paper aims to investigate the status of mass health self-examination awareness and its influencing factors during the COVID-19 epidemic and establish complete health information to intervene in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. The study used a simple random sampling method to survey permanent residents (9761 people) aged 15–70 years in a region of Jiangsu Province, China. The survey collected data using a questionnaire with acceptable reliability and validity. The data were entered into SPSS 26, and the data were analyzed using the chi-square test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. The differences in the status of mass health self-examination during COVID-19 were statistically significant (P < 0.05) in terms of the literacy level of the grassroots population, ease of access to medical care, primary medical and health conditions, the situation of medical examination programs, and the construction of primary health information technology. The establishment of comprehensive and systematic primary health information can effectively assist in raising people's awareness of health self-examination and promoting health behaviors, which is essential for enhancing COVID-19 prevention and intervention.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Information Technology Use and Associated Trends among Individuals Living with Chronic Diseases

Health information technology (HIT) can enhance optimal health care access and utilization among individuals living with chronic diseases. This study aimed to provide population-level information on racial/ethnic disparities in HIT use and associated trends among those living with chronic diseases. The study sample consisted of adult respondents (≥18 years) of the 2011-2018 National Health Interview Survey living with at least 1 chronic condition. Binomial regression was used to analyze the association between race/ethnicity, year, and 4 measures of HIT use for patient-provider interaction. Regression parameter estimates were used to predict the trends in probability of the outcome variables across race/ethnicity. About 73% of the study sample were non-Hispanic Whites, 15% were non-Hispanic Blacks, and 13% were Hispanics. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, there were decreased adjusted odds of any HIT use among non-Hispanic Blacks (OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.67, 0.76) and Hispanics (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.72, 0.84). The likelihood of any HIT use increased with increasing year (OR: 1.16; 95% CI = 1.15, 1.18). Trends in racial/ethnic disparities were wider for email communication with provider and online prescription refill compared to online scheduling of appointment. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to accelerated adoption or expansion of HIT for patient care. Limited HIT use among non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics could worsen the disproportionate chronic disease burden, suboptimal clinical outcomes, and preventable health care costs experienced by this subpopulation. In conclusion, there is a need for intentional and strategic population-level interventions to increase HIT adoption and use among non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics living with chronic diseases.