Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review
BackgroundThe exponential growth of health information technology has the potential to facilitate community engagement in research. However, little is known about the use of health information technology in community-engaged research, such as which types of health information...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Participatory Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://jopm.jmir.org/2021/3/e30062 |
| _version_ | 1797329457342578688 |
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| author | Geetanjali Rajamani Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa Lisa G Rosas |
| author_facet | Geetanjali Rajamani Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa Lisa G Rosas |
| author_sort | Geetanjali Rajamani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundThe exponential growth of health information technology has the potential to facilitate community engagement in research. However, little is known about the use of health information technology in community-engaged research, such as which types of health information technology are used, which populations are engaged, and what are the research outcomes.
ObjectiveThe objectives of this scoping review were to examine studies that used health information technology for community engagement and to assess (1) the types of populations, (2) community engagement strategies, (3) types of health information technology tools, and (4) outcomes of interest.
MethodsWe searched PubMed and PCORI Literature Explorer using terms related to health information technology, health informatics, community engagement, and stakeholder involvement. This search process yielded 967 papers for screening. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 37 papers were analyzed for key themes and for approaches relevant to health information technology and community engagement research.
ResultsThis analysis revealed that the communities engaged were generally underrepresented populations in health-related research, including racial or ethnic minority communities such as Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Latino ethnicity, and communities from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The studies focused on various age groups, ranging from preschoolers to older adults. The studies were also geographically spread across the United States and the world. Community engagement strategies included collaborative development of health information technology tools and partnerships to promote use (encompassing collaborative development, use of community advisory boards, and focus groups for eliciting information needs) and use of health information technology to engage communities in research (eg, through citizen science). The types of technology varied across studies, with mobile or tablet-based apps being the most common platform. Outcomes measured included eliciting user needs and requirements, assessing health information technology tools and prototypes with participants, measuring knowledge, and advocating for community change.
ConclusionsThis study illustrates the current landscape at the intersection of health information technology tools and community-engaged research approaches. It highlights studies in which various community-engaged research approaches were used to design culturally centered health information technology tools, to promote health information technology uptake, or for engagement in health research and advocacy. Our findings can serve as a platform for generating future research upon which to expand the scope of health information technology tools and their use for meaningful stakeholder engagement. Studies that incorporate community context and needs have a greater chance of cocreating culturally centered health information technology tools and better knowledge to promote action and improve health outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:04:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8edf26cfa3eb468d9a5bad23c4c2c638 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-7202 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T07:04:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Participatory Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-8edf26cfa3eb468d9a5bad23c4c2c6382024-02-03T04:56:22ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Participatory Medicine2152-72022021-11-01133e3006210.2196/30062Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping ReviewGeetanjali Rajamanihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1769-4307Patricia Rodriguez Espinosahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7578-305XLisa G Rosashttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4053-7972 BackgroundThe exponential growth of health information technology has the potential to facilitate community engagement in research. However, little is known about the use of health information technology in community-engaged research, such as which types of health information technology are used, which populations are engaged, and what are the research outcomes. ObjectiveThe objectives of this scoping review were to examine studies that used health information technology for community engagement and to assess (1) the types of populations, (2) community engagement strategies, (3) types of health information technology tools, and (4) outcomes of interest. MethodsWe searched PubMed and PCORI Literature Explorer using terms related to health information technology, health informatics, community engagement, and stakeholder involvement. This search process yielded 967 papers for screening. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 37 papers were analyzed for key themes and for approaches relevant to health information technology and community engagement research. ResultsThis analysis revealed that the communities engaged were generally underrepresented populations in health-related research, including racial or ethnic minority communities such as Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Latino ethnicity, and communities from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The studies focused on various age groups, ranging from preschoolers to older adults. The studies were also geographically spread across the United States and the world. Community engagement strategies included collaborative development of health information technology tools and partnerships to promote use (encompassing collaborative development, use of community advisory boards, and focus groups for eliciting information needs) and use of health information technology to engage communities in research (eg, through citizen science). The types of technology varied across studies, with mobile or tablet-based apps being the most common platform. Outcomes measured included eliciting user needs and requirements, assessing health information technology tools and prototypes with participants, measuring knowledge, and advocating for community change. ConclusionsThis study illustrates the current landscape at the intersection of health information technology tools and community-engaged research approaches. It highlights studies in which various community-engaged research approaches were used to design culturally centered health information technology tools, to promote health information technology uptake, or for engagement in health research and advocacy. Our findings can serve as a platform for generating future research upon which to expand the scope of health information technology tools and their use for meaningful stakeholder engagement. Studies that incorporate community context and needs have a greater chance of cocreating culturally centered health information technology tools and better knowledge to promote action and improve health outcomes.https://jopm.jmir.org/2021/3/e30062 |
| spellingShingle | Geetanjali Rajamani Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa Lisa G Rosas Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review Journal of Participatory Medicine |
| title | Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review |
| title_full | Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review |
| title_short | Intersection of Health Informatics Tools and Community Engagement in Health-Related Research to Reduce Health Inequities: Scoping Review |
| title_sort | intersection of health informatics tools and community engagement in health related research to reduce health inequities scoping review |
| url | https://jopm.jmir.org/2021/3/e30062 |
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