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Consumer health informatics: a consensus description and commentary from American Medical Informatics Association
T K Houston1, B L Chang, S Brown
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Proceedings. AMIA Symposium
|February 5, 2002
Summary
Consumer Health Informatics (CHI) lacks a clear definition. A survey of AMIA members suggests CHI should be multidisciplinary, involve consumers, and use public health methods for evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Consumer Health Informatics
- Public Health
Background:
- Consumer Health Informatics (CHI) is a growing field.
- A universally accepted definition for CHI is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) members.
- To gather insights on the definition and research agenda for CHI.
Main Methods:
- An Internet-based survey was distributed to AMIA members.
- 135 AMIA members participated in the survey.
Main Results:
- Key CHI topics include self-help for disease management and patient access to medical records.
- CHI research is perceived to require a shift towards public health methods like epidemiology and outcomes research.
- Respondents noted a lack of funding and a need for more CHI research.
Conclusions:
- A working definition of CHI should highlight its multidisciplinary nature.
- Consumer input is crucial in the design of CHI initiatives.
- Public health approaches are recommended for evaluating CHI interventions.