Issue Brief Examines How Personal Health Record Products Meet Needs of Underserved Minorities

"Personal Health Records: What Do Underserved Consumers Want?" Mathematica Policy Research: The issue brief describes features of personal health records -- paper- or electronic-based systems to record an individuals health information -- and looks at how those features meet the needs and wants of underserved minorities. According to the brief, based on focus groups conducted with underserved minorities from New Brunswick, N.J., people want PHRs that are portable, secure, private, simple and affordable. Minorities also would pay modest fees to set up and update the PHRs, but they would be reluctant to pay maintenance fees. The brief suggests that PHR developers might need to increase their efforts to assess their products' usability among low-income minorities who might have limited access to computers and low health literacy (MPR release, 5/17).