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

Abstract #113647

Peter Messeri, PhD¹, Jessica Ancker, MPH¹, Rita Kukafka, MA, DrPH¹, Mari P. Millery, PhD¹, Nadine Nader, BA¹, Daniel Schluter, PhD¹, Rebecca Berger, MPH², and Reggi Marder, MSW². (1) Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Room 1121, New York, NY 10032, (212) 305-1549, pam9@columbia.edu, (2) University of Illinois at Chicago, 6124 North St. Louis, Chicago, IL 60659

Background: The internet is a potentially powerful modality for linking medical care providers to readily accessible and up-to-date information on best clinical practices. Recent experience offering primary care clinics free access to HIVTIPS, an internet-based, clinical support system for HIV care, raises concern that many community-based clinics may not be able to avail themselves of such web-based services or be able to participate in information exchange across the internet because of extremely frail information technology (IT) infrastructure. Information is presented on organizational and provider-level factors influencing initial use of HIVTIPS.

Methodology: Data are collected from an agency IT needs assessment and provider surveys in approximately 20 community-based primary care clinics in New York, New Jersey and the Midwest. Providers surveyed at these clinics included physicians, nurses, health educators/counselors and social workers (N=100). Clinics' readiness to use the internet is rated with respect to: 1) degree of internet connections at point-of-care, 2) stability of connectedness to the internet, and 3) level of technological support resources. Provider factors are measured with respect to self-efficacy in use of the internet, outcomes expectations for value of information from the internet, social norms about using computers in medical practice, and perceived agency support for accessing the internet. We also measured each provider's readiness for change in using the internet in the areas of 1) guidance in selection of medication regimens, 2) preparation of patient education materials, and 3) support for treatment adherence counseling.

Findings to be Presented: Summary statistics along each dimension will be presented. The influence of provider and agency level readiness to use the internet will be assessed through measuring the association of both agency and provider level variables with statistics on use of HIV TIPS during the first two-months of access to the site. The statistical findings will be supplemented by qualitative observations obtained from field notes records during the needs assessment process.

Learning Objectives: Following this presentation, attendees will be able to

• gain a better understanding about the substantial barriers that community clinics confront in connecting to the internet;
• distinguish multiple factors within the concept of individual provider readiness for thechnology; and
• learn about the relative importance of agency and provider-level readiness and capacity to take advantage of internet resources.

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.

Recorded presentation