JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital health technology (DHT), including mobile health applications and online medical records, is increasingly used to support self-management and communication with healthcare providers. However, cultural, privacy, and demographic factors may influence adoption among Vietnamese Americans.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns of DHT use, barriers to adoption, and associations with social determinants such as age, gender, social support, and mental health concerns.

Methods:

Data for this cross-sectional study was collected from a sample of Vietnamese American adults (N=304) through surveys assessing DHT engagement, confidence in medical record security, and social and psychological factors. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses, including t-tests and chi-square tests, were used to examine differences across demographic groups.

Results:

Many participants had engaged with mHealth tools (83.25%), such as using mobile devices for health tracking (60.9%) and healthcare provider discussions (64.6%). Online medical records were reported to be widely available (n=230), with 182 participants accessing them at least once in the past year. Privacy concerns were a key barrier for engagement with online medical records, with 40.5% of non-users citing security fears, and 26.5% reporting withholding health information from health care professionals. The main reasons participants did not access online medical records (n=45) was because they preferred to speak to healthcare providers directly (70.5%; n=31), and did not perceive a need to access their online medical records (69.8%; n=30). ​Demographic and psychological factors influenced DHT engagement: (1) Men were more likely to report no confidence in medical record security than women (25.4% vs. 9.2%; P<.001); (2) DHT users reported more mental health concerns (M=1.46 vs. 1.04, P=.026); and (3) Higher confidence in medical record security was correlated with stronger social support (M = 77.79 vs. 65.51, P<.001).​

Conclusions:

While DHT adoption is high among Vietnamese Americans, privacy concerns remain a major barrier to full utilization of online medical records. Healthcare providers and public health initiatives should focus on improving trust in medical record security, incorporating culturally tailored education on digital health benefits, and leveraging social media and mobile health tools to optimize patient engagement. Developing stronger family and community support and increased attention to mental health issues may facilitate the adoption of DHT.