Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101058

The IHS Kiosk Development Team, Indian Health Service, 4212 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85016, 602-263-1587, charlton.wilson@ihs.gov

Background: An e-Kiosk is a computer-based health information portal. e-Kiosks can be placed in any public setting, including clinic offices. We evaluated the usability of a commercially available e-Kiosk in an Indian Health Service (IHS) office setting.

Methods: After 6 months of operation, we interviewed patients who were visiting the office on the environmental setting, system characteristics, presentation format, and information content of the e-Kiosk. Participant reactions and comments were transcribed and analyzed by professional consultants with experience in usability evaluation.

Results. 24 American Indian people, age ranging from 12 to 90 years, with an approximately equal mix of men and women, volunteered. Most had never previously used the e-Kiosk. Most had some computer and some internet experience. Positive aspects of the e-Kiosk included the touch screen interface, informative content targeted to the audience, self-paced process, and the ability to print information for later use. Concerns included lack of privacy in the public area, culturally inappropriate messages, display of information which did not appear to be relevant to the local community, and a general difficulty with computer navigation.

Conclusions. This e-Kiosk was generally well received but concerns over lack of environmental privacy, cultural issues, pertinence to local services, and ease of navigation will need to be addressed before wider implementation of this technology will be successful.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the methods used for evaluating an e-Kiosk in an IHS setting
• Identify positive and negative comments American Indian e-Kiosk users had while using the e-Kiosk in a clinical office setting
• Describe improvements being made to the e-Kiosk

Keywords: American Indians, Information Technology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.