How Do Patients with Mental Health Diagnoses Use Online Patient Portals? An Observational Analysis from the Veterans Health Administration

Bella Etingen*, Timothy P. Hogan, Rachael N. Martinez, Stephanie Shimada, Kevin Stroupe, Kim Nazi, Samantha L. Connolly, Jessica Lipschitz, Frances M. Weaver, Bridget Smith

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Online patient portals may be effective for engaging patients with mental health conditions in their own health care. This retrospective database analysis reports patient portal use among Veterans with mental health diagnoses. Unadjusted and adjusted odds of portal feature use was calculated using logistic regressions. Having experienced military sexual trauma or having an anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression were associated with increased odds of portal use; bipolar, substance use, psychotic and adjustment disorders were associated with decreased odds. Future research should examine factors that influence portal use to understand diagnosis-level differences and improve engagement with such tools.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)596-608
Number of pages13
JournalAdministration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Volume46
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 15 2019

Funding

This study was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development Service (IIR 14-041). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government. This manuscript is not under review elsewhere and the contents have not been part of any prior publication. All authors listed have contributed sufficiently to the project to be included as authors, and all those who are qualified to be authors are listed in the author byline; all authors have approved the submitted version of this manuscript.

Keywords

  • Engagement
  • Health information technology
  • Mental health
  • Patient portals
  • Veterans

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Health Policy
  • Phychiatric Mental Health

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