Abstract
Integrating information technology into healthcare has the potential to bring treatment to hard-to-reach people. Individuals
with serious mental illness (SMI), however, may derive limited benefit from these advances in care because of lack of computer
ownership and experience. To date, conclusions about the computer skills and attitudes of adults with SMI have been based
primarily on self-report. In the current study, 28 psychiatric outpatients with co-occurring cocaine use were interviewed
about their computer use and opinions, and 25 were then directly observed using task analysis and think aloud methods as they
navigated a multi-component health informational website. Participants reported low rates of computer ownership and use, and
negative attitudes towards computers. Self-reported computer skills were higher than demonstrated in the task analysis. However,
some participants spontaneously expressed more positive attitudes and greater computer self-efficacy after navigating the
website. Implications for increasing access to computer-based health information are discussed.
with serious mental illness (SMI), however, may derive limited benefit from these advances in care because of lack of computer
ownership and experience. To date, conclusions about the computer skills and attitudes of adults with SMI have been based
primarily on self-report. In the current study, 28 psychiatric outpatients with co-occurring cocaine use were interviewed
about their computer use and opinions, and 25 were then directly observed using task analysis and think aloud methods as they
navigated a multi-component health informational website. Participants reported low rates of computer ownership and use, and
negative attitudes towards computers. Self-reported computer skills were higher than demonstrated in the task analysis. However,
some participants spontaneously expressed more positive attitudes and greater computer self-efficacy after navigating the
website. Implications for increasing access to computer-based health information are discussed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s11126-012-9229-z
- Authors
- Anne C. Black, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Kristin L. Serowik, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Jean J. Schensul, The Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT, USA
- Anne M. Bowen, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
- Marc I. Rosen, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Journal Psychiatric Quarterly
- Online ISSN 1573-6709
- Print ISSN 0033-2720