Acceptability of Health Information Exchange and Patient Portal Use in Depression Care Among Underrepresented Patients.

BACKGROUND: Depression is often untreated or undertreated, particularly among underrepresented groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals of lower socioeconomic status. Electronic health information exchange (HIE) is a recommended practice to improve care coordination and encourage patient engagement in services, but it remains underutilized in depression care. Understanding factors affecting acceptance and adoption of this technology among underrepresented patient populations is needed to increase dissemination of HIE within mental health treatment. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to identify patient barriers and facilitators towards the acceptance of HIE within the context of depression treatment and to examine how HIE impacts depression-related care coordination and patient activation. DESIGN: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 27 patients. PARTICIPANTS: Respondents were English-speaking adults (> 18) receiving depression treatment within a large, safety-net primary care clinic. APPROACH: A grounded theory approach was used to code and analyze data for emergent themes. Thematic analysis was guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, a leading informatics theory used to predict end-user adoption of technology. KEY RESULTS: Respondents reported that HIE made depression care more convenient, transparent, and trustworthy. Though respondents desired greater access to their health records, stigma surrounding depression inhibited acceptance of electronic communication and information sharing. Confusing electronic interface also diminished perceived benefits of HIE. CONCLUSION(S): Respondents desire greater transparency in their depression care. While HIE was perceived to improve the overall quality of depression care, stigma associated with mental illness undermined more robust adoption of this technology among underserved populations.

Shared Decision Making in Primary Care Based Depression Treatment: Communication and Decision-Making Preferences Among an Underserved Patient Population.

Objectives: Although depression is a significant public health issue, many individuals experiencing depressive symptoms are not effectively linked to treatment by their primary care provider, with underserved populations have disproportionately lower rates of engagement in depression care. Shared decision making (SDM) is an evidence-based health communication framework that can improve collaboration and optimize treatment for patients, but there is much unknown about how to translate SDM into primary care depression treatment among underserved communities. This study seeks to explore patients' experiences of SDM, and articulate communication and decision-making preferences among an underserved patient population receiving depression treatment in an urban, safety net primary care clinic. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with a depressive disorder completed a brief, quantitative survey and an in-depth semi-structured interview. Surveys measured patient demographics and their subjective experience of SDM. Qualitative interview probed for patients' communication preferences, including ideal decision-making processes around depression care. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Univariate statistics report quantitative findings. Results: Overall qualitative and quantitative findings indicate high levels of SDM. Stigma related to depression negatively affected patients' initial attitude toward seeking treatment, and underscored the importance of patient-provider rapport. In terms of communication and decision-making preferences, patients preferred collaboration with doctors during the information sharing process, but desired control over the final, decisional outcome. Trust between patients and providers emerged as a critical precondition to effective SDM. Respondents highlighted several provider behaviors that helped facilitated such an optimal environment for SDM to occur. Conclusion: Underserved patients with depression preferred taking an active role in their depression care, but looked for providers as partner in this process. Due to the stigma of depression, effective SDM first requires primary care providers to ensure that they have created a safe and trusting environment where patients are able to discuss their depression openly.