Technology Use Among Chinese and Vietnamese Patients in a Community Health Center

Background: Digital and mobile technology plays an increasingly important role in health literacy, health education, health care and patient engagement. However, technology use among community health center patients, especially Asian Pacific Islander populations, is not well understood.

Objective: This assessment describes patterns of technology use, adoption and access to inform a Community Based Participatory Research project to develop a health information technology intervention to improve hepatitis B disparities for Chinese and Vietnamese patients at International Community Health Services (ICHS), a federally qualified health center in Seattle, WA and in partnership with the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO).

Methods: Data collection instruments were developed collaboratively between ICHS, AAPCHO and community members. Data were collected using a multilingual, mixed methods approach incorporating a cross-sectional survey, focus groups and interviews. Survey participants were recruited from ICHS waiting rooms and administered a 26-item survey (N=196). Qualitative assessment participants were ICHS patients with hepatitis B or their family/caregivers recruited through community health workers and clinic staff (N=23).

Results: From qualitative data we identified themes addressing barriers to digital/mobile technology adoption: difficulty in finding trustworthy and appropriate online health information, the prominence of traditional media, skills and cost. Survey data provided estimates of use and access of mobile phones (93%), home internet service (65%), computers (63%), and email (52%) in the patient population. Forty seven percent of participants reported owning smartphones and among those, 66% reported mobile app use. Additional data on mobile phone activities, online health information seeking and internet use patterns were also collected.

Discussion: In the context of an increasingly digital environment, these data provide a snapshot of technological engagement among Chinese and Vietnamese patients in a community health center. Data will be used to identify and develop patient engagement and health education interventions to improve hepatitis B outcomes.