Electronic Personal Health Records for Mobile Populations: A Rapid Systematic Literature Review

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Public Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Mobile populations, including refugees and migrants, face healthcare access barriers due to missing health records.
• Lack of continuity and quality of care are significant issues for these vulnerable groups.
• Electronic Personal Health Records (EPHRs) offer a potential solution to bridge this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the current landscape of EPHRs designed for mobile populations.
• To identify existing EPHRs and their functionalities.
• To understand the challenges and opportunities in implementing EPHRs for mobile health.

Main Methods:

• A rapid systematic review was conducted from September 2024 to January 2025.
• Searches were performed across Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and grey literature.
• Qualitative data synthesis was used for 19 selected records.

Main Results:

• Six distinct EPHRs were identified, varying in record centralization, features, and patient autonomy.
• Limited evidence was found regarding the impact of EPHRs on health outcomes or care continuity.
• User adoption emerged as a critical challenge for EPHR implementation.

Conclusions:

• EPHR development for mobile populations requires a focus on data security and user-centered co-design.
• Further research is needed to evaluate EPHR impact on health outcomes and user experiences.
• Addressing adoption barriers is crucial for successful EPHR integration in mobile health.