Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Dec 27, 2022
Date Accepted: Jun 16, 2023
Perceptions of COVID-19 and the Use of Health Information Technology among People who are Uninsured: Multimethod
ABSTRACT
Background:
The novel coronavirus has claimed over 6.6 million lives globally and nearly 1.1 million lives in the United States as of December 2022. Vulnerable populations, including low income and those who lack health insurance, are often disproportionately affected due to risk factors such as limited health literacy as well as various lifestyle and employment situations. These populations may also lack knowledge of appropriate infection precautions and/or have reduced access to care during sickness.
Objective:
The objectives of this research were to explore: (1) respondent experiences of COVID-19, including their knowledge of disease symptoms and risk factors, and (2) respondent perceptions of a healthcare app designed to monitor the physical/mental health symptoms of COVID-19 and associated safety concerns as well as facilitate access to community resources for symptom management.
Methods:
A prospective mixed method survey study was conducted with a convenience sample of uninsured adults seeking care at three free clinics.
Methods:
A prospective mixed method survey study was conducted with a convenience sample of uninsured adults seeking care at three free clinics. Respondents were questioned on their awareness of COVID-19, current technology use, and use of technology to facilitate their health regarding COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies, mean differences). Additionally, a small subset of the respondents (n=10) from one of the clinics participated in interviews to provide feedback about the design of the COVID-19 web-based smartphone app.
Results:
Survey respondents (n=240) were 53.8% female, primarily White (47.1%), and had a mean age of 50.0 years (range 19-72). Most respondents (73.0%) did not think they were at risk for COVID-19. Respondents’ knowledge of the COVID-19 symptoms aligned well with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s published reports of the most common acute (93.7%) and long term (88.3%) symptoms. Most respondents (71.0%) reported an interest in using the mHealth app to gain additional information regarding COVID-19 and available community resources. Respondents who were interviewed provided suggestions to improve the app but had overall positive perceptions about the app’s potential usefulness and usability.
Conclusions:
From a healthcare standpoint, it was encouraging that the knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms aligned well with those published by the CDC and that respondents had enthusiasm for using an app to monitor symptoms. However, it was concerning that most respondents did not think they were at risk of contracting COVID-19.
Citation
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Copyright
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