Understandability of Personal Health Record Data Among Young Adults

This research study examines Personal Health Records (PHRs), focusing on the issues of data contents from the end users¿ perspectives. The study evaluates the understandability of the Continuity of Care Record (CCR) standard terminology currently used in PHR system and explores users¿ preferences and needs for data contents. PHRs are becoming an increasingly important and popular means of enabling individuals to have more direct and stronger ownership and management of their health information. One of the potential barriers to the PHRs adoption is the usability of the system, particularly the fact that PHR data contents contain difficult terminology and does not meet the users¿ needs and preferences. The results of this research provide insight for PHR developers, enabling them to better design and tailor PHR technology in order to fulfill the needs and desires of each specific individual group and subgroup. A PHR system tailored to the user¿s individualized needs will serve to make the user feel more comfortable using and maintaining it, and then could lead to wider adoption of PHR within the population.