| Objective. This research is designed to provide information technology designers with information about how health information is stored within personal residences. Specifically this study developed and tested Health Information Maps, a methodology that captures the location and distribution of health information in the home.;Background. As the home becomes an important site for health care, an increasing number of technology applications are employed to support health at home. Therefore, it becomes critical to create a formal understanding of health information management in the home. Macroergonomics addresses large-scale person-environment fit and can help characterize the self-care work done in the home.;Methods. A non-experimental field study involving multiple phases was conducted to develop and test the Health Information Maps. This study focused on logistical health information, specifically doctors' contact information, doctors' appointments, and health insurance information. Three major activities occurred: (1) pilot study, (2) off-site interviews, and (3) home visits. Seven households participated in the pilot assessment of the method. The off-site interviews included forty participants, who provided information about where they store health information and what devices they use to do so. Twenty of these participants were invited and agreed to an interview in their homes to replicate the information gleaned in the off-site interview; the researcher interviewed ten of these participants and a trained assessor interviewed the remaining ten.;Findings. Interviews lasted approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Study participants appeared engaged in the interview process and appeared to understand interview questions. Across all homes a difference rate of less than one per household was found; rates were consistent between interviewers (1.4 for the researcher; 1.3 for the assessor).;Conclusions. The similar difference rates between the researcher and assessor suggest that the methodology is reliable across interviewers. The average difference rate for the sample shows that the Health Information Maps yield an accurate representation of the home environment. The interview length and positive participant reaction suggest that the methodology is feasible and can be used a systematic way. Overall, the Health Information Maps provided a feasible way to obtain valid information about where people stored health information in their homes. |
