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

Abstract #104225

Bonnie A. Leeman-Castillo, PhD¹, Kitty K. Corbett, PhD, MPH², Eva M. Aagaard, MD³, Judith Maselli, MSPH⁴, Thomas D. MacKenzie, MD, MSPH⁵, and Ralph Gonzales, MD, MSPH⁴. (1) Department of Prevention, Colorado Prevention Center, 789 Sherman St., Suite 200, Denver, CO 80203, (2) Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, West Mall Centre, Room 2200.6, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V3H5H6, Canada, 604 268-7190, kcorbett@sfu.ca, (3) Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Ave., Box 0320, San Francisco, CA 94143, (4) Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118, (5) Department of General Internal Medicine, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, 777 Bannock Street, MC1914, Denver, CO 80204-4507

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the effectiveness of an audiovisual, bilingual, interactive computer module for educating medically underserved patients about appropriate antibiotic use. METHODS: Adults seeking care for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) completed a computer survey, in an urgent care clinic, winter 2001. We collected data on demographics, knowledge and attitudes about ARIs, reasons for seeking care, and a symptom inventory. Patients were provided information about their illness and appropriate antibiotic use. Participants rated the module on qualities known to enhance diffusion of innovations. The main outcomes were whether the patient “learned something new about colds and flu” and “trusted the computer information.” RESULTS: 296 persons completed the survey. Spanish-language respondents (16%) were much less likely to report prior computer experience, more likely to need help, and strongly preferred answering to a person compared with English-language respondents. Differences were smaller between groups in rating the computer as easy to use and understanding computer messages. In multivariable analysis, Spanish-language respondents remained more likely to report learning something new (OR=5.0;[2.0, 12.4]) and trusting the information (OR= 2.5 [1.0, 6.0]). Prior computer experience was a strong negative predictor of learning something new (OR=0.43 [0.22, 0.84]) and trusting the information (OR=0.31 [0.16, 0.60]). CONCLUSIONS: An interactive computer module was well received among a medically underserved urgent care clinic population. Benefits appear greatest among populations having the least experience with this medium. Interactive computer technology may represent an important tool for programs aiming to reduce health disparities.

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