Intention to use personal health records and associated factors among healthcare providers in Southwest Oromia region referral hospitals, Ethiopia: Using modified unified theory of acceptance and use technology 2 model

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The growing integration of vastly diversified technologies in the healthcare industry has made it necessary to collect organized and accurate data to support an informed decision in healthcare. The literature has revealed that the magnitude of intention to use personal health records among healthcare providers is low. Therefore, this study aimed to assess healthcare providers' intentions to use personal health records and its factors in Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 781 healthcare providers in referral hospitals in the Southwest Oromia region, Ethiopia. A simple sampling technique was used to select the study participants among healthcare providers. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were entered and cleaned using Epidata 4.6, and descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS 25. The degree of correlation between exogenous and endogenous variables was described and validated using structural equation modeling using AMOS 26. Results A total of 736 healthcare providers (94.2% response rate) participated in the study. The proportion of intention to use personal health records was 57.6%, 95% CI (53.9–61.2). Performance expectancy (β = 0.325, P < 0.01), effort expectancy (β = 0.289, P < 0.01), social influence (β = 0.216, P < 0.01), and facilitating condition (β = 0.242, P < 0.01) had a positive direct relationship with intention to use personal health records. Age (β = 0.269, P = 0.040, β = 0.272, P < 0.001, β = 0.326, P < 0.001) was a moderator variable between performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and intention to use personal health records. Conclusions Overall, healthcare providers intention to use personal health records were promising. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions were statistically significant factors of intention to use personal health records among healthcare providers. The relationship between performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and intention to use PHRs was positively moderated by age. Thus, implementers need to give priority to enhancing the provision of a better system, the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers, and awareness creation among staff by providing continuous training.