Perspectives on illness-related stigma and electronically sharing psychiatric health information by people with multiple sclerosis.
Electronic medical records
Multiple sclerosis
Stigma
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 03 2021
01 03 2021
Historique:
received:
03
06
2020
accepted:
24
12
2020
entrez:
19
2
2021
pubmed:
20
2
2021
medline:
27
4
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Electronic medical records (EMRs) facilitate more integrated and comprehensive care. Despite this, EMRs are used less frequently in psychiatry compared to other medical disciplines, in part due to concerns regarding stigma surrounding mental health. This paper explores the willingness to share medical information among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), who experience higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities compared to the general population, and the role that stigma plays in patient preferences. MS patients were surveyed about their co-occurring psychiatric and non-psychiatric diagnoses, willingness to share their health information electronically among their treating doctors, and levels of self and societal stigma associated with their diagnoses. Participants were slightly more willing to share their non-psychiatric medical information vs. psychiatric information. Despite the presence of stigma decreasing patient willingness to share medical records, those with psychiatric co-occurring disorders, compared to those without, endorsed significantly greater willingness to electronically share their health records. The majority of diagnoses for which participants experienced the greatest difference in self vs. societal stigmas were psychiatric ones, including substance use, eating and mood disorders. Societal stigma strongly correlated with decreased non-psychiatric medication sharing, while self stigma was strongly correlated with decreased psychiatric medications sharing. Standardized scales were not used to assess patient stigma and there is a potential lack of generalizability of results beyond patients with MS. These insights into patient preferences toward sharing their medical information should inform decisions to implement EMRs, particularly for patient populations experiencing higher than average levels of psychiatric comorbidities.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Electronic medical records (EMRs) facilitate more integrated and comprehensive care. Despite this, EMRs are used less frequently in psychiatry compared to other medical disciplines, in part due to concerns regarding stigma surrounding mental health. This paper explores the willingness to share medical information among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), who experience higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities compared to the general population, and the role that stigma plays in patient preferences.
METHODS
MS patients were surveyed about their co-occurring psychiatric and non-psychiatric diagnoses, willingness to share their health information electronically among their treating doctors, and levels of self and societal stigma associated with their diagnoses.
RESULTS
Participants were slightly more willing to share their non-psychiatric medical information vs. psychiatric information. Despite the presence of stigma decreasing patient willingness to share medical records, those with psychiatric co-occurring disorders, compared to those without, endorsed significantly greater willingness to electronically share their health records. The majority of diagnoses for which participants experienced the greatest difference in self vs. societal stigmas were psychiatric ones, including substance use, eating and mood disorders. Societal stigma strongly correlated with decreased non-psychiatric medication sharing, while self stigma was strongly correlated with decreased psychiatric medications sharing.
LIMITATIONS
Standardized scales were not used to assess patient stigma and there is a potential lack of generalizability of results beyond patients with MS.
CONCLUSIONS
These insights into patient preferences toward sharing their medical information should inform decisions to implement EMRs, particularly for patient populations experiencing higher than average levels of psychiatric comorbidities.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33601726
pii: S0165-0327(20)33257-2
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.167
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
840-845Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.