Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Portal Use among Pre- and Post-Kidney Transplant Patients at an Urban Center in the United States
1Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, Chicago, IL
2Department of Medicine/Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B183
Keywords: African-American, Age factors, Kidney transplantation
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Kidney Psychosocial
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, June 3, 2018
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall 4EF
Background: As health information becomes digitized it is critical to understand the nuances of patient technology use in order to promote the use of electronic medical records and patient portals (PP).
Methods: A single center, cross-sectional survey of 240 consecutive pre-and post-kidney transplant patients of all levels of technological proficiency who presented to an urban transplant center in the United States.
Results: A majority of patients surveyed did not use the PP (n=176, 73%). PP use predictors can be found in Table 1.
| Unadjusted OR (95%CI) | Adjusted OR(95%CI) | ||
| Gender, ref. F | Male | 0.6(0.34-1.14) | 0.9(0.44-1.8) |
| Race, ref. white | AA | 0.5(0.25-0.86)** | 0.4(0.17-1/18) |
| Hispanic | 0.3(0.07-0.99)** | 0.3(0.07-1.41) | |
| Other | 1.1(0.17-6.812) | 3.4(0.43-27.07) | |
| Education, ref. Collge grad | HS or less | 0.3(0.18-0.84)* | 0.8(0.33-2.16) |
| Some College | 0.8(0.41-1.59) | 1.1(0.51-2.38) | |
| Age, ref.19-39 | 40-54 | 0.7(0.33-1.45) | 0.9(0.40-2.16) |
| 55-64 | 0.5(0.22-1.21)** | 0.8(0.29-2.13) | |
| 65+ | 0.2(0.08-0.68)** | 0.6(0.17-2.36) | |
| Dialysis | Yes | 0.7(0.31-1.61) | 0.7(0.27-1.84) |
| Transplant Status | Post | 3.0(1.54-5.90)** | 3.6(1.63-7.97)** |
| Internet Use, ref.>5hrs/week | <5 hrs/week | 0.2(0.11-0.44)** | 0.4(0.18-1.00) |
| Smartphone ownership | No Smartphone | 0.4(0.182-0.87)* | 1.0(0.37-2.57) |
| Trust in Internet info | Ordinal | 1.2(0.92-1.60) | 1.1(0.77-1.54) |
| Comfort using Internet | Ordinal | 2.1(1.41-3.11) | 1.6(0.99-2.45) |
| *<0.05; **<0.01 | |||
Reasons for not using the PP included:1) preference for traditional communication, 2) not being aware of the portal, 3) low technological sophistication, and 4) disconnect between the portal at transplant center and the patient's primary care center.
Conclusion: PP usage was low among pre and post kidney transplant patients. This may result from the disconnect between the transplant center and patients primary care home. A majority of patients prefer traditional communications with clinicians. Encouraging technology adoption may aid in reducing inequities among at-risk groups.
CITATION INFORMATION: Lockwood M., Dunn-Lopez K., Pauls H., Burke L., Becker Y., Saunders M. Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Portal Use among Pre- and Post-Kidney Transplant Patients at an Urban Center in the United States Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Lockwood M, Dunn-Lopez K, Pauls H, Burke L, Becker Y, Saunders M. Facilitators and Barriers to Patient Portal Use among Pre- and Post-Kidney Transplant Patients at an Urban Center in the United States [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/facilitators-and-barriers-to-patient-portal-use-among-pre-and-post-kidney-transplant-patients-at-an-urban-center-in-the-united-states/. Accessed June 27, 2025.« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress