Interrelationships Between Patients' Data Tracking Practices, Data Sharing Practices, and Health Literacy: Onsite...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient Engagement
• Health Literacy

Background:

• Patient-generated data (PGD) offers promise for optimizing patient care.
• Little is known about the link between patients tracking PGD and sharing it with clinicians.
• Health literacy's role in PGD tracking and sharing has been understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the interrelationships between PGD tracking, data sharing, and health literacy.
• To understand factors influencing patients' PGD tracking and sharing behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 109 patients was conducted during clinic visits at a university health center.
• The survey assessed PGD tracking/sharing practices and health literacy using 39 questions on a tablet.
• Onsite data collection captured immediate patient experiences during clinical encounters.

Main Results:

• Tracking PGD did not correlate with perceived health management information.
• The number of PGD types tracked positively related to patient engagement with providers.
• PGD tracking and health literacy did not predict data sharing, but engagement ability predicted future sharing willingness.

Conclusions:

• PGD tracking can enhance patient-provider engagement but may not improve self-management information.
• Bridging the gap between PGD tracking and sharing requires educating patients on data relevance and facilitating communication.
• Empowering patients to track and share PGD, supported by technology and healthcare providers, is crucial for maximizing PGD potential and health literacy.