Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
2019

Using Electronic Health Record Data to Study Latino Immigrant Populations in Health Services Research (Article)

Heintzman J.* , Marino M. , Clark K. , Cowburn S. , Sosa S. , Cancel L. , Ezekiel-Herrera D. , Cohen D.
  • a Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • b Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • c Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • d OCHIN Inc., 1881 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR 97201, United States
  • e Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • f Benton County Health Department, 530 NW 27th St, Corvallis, OR 97330, United States
  • g Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • h Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States

Abstract

The study of healthcare disparities in Latino immigrants is underdeveloped and limited by risk to participants. To validate an electronic health record (EHR)-based algorithm that could serve as a safe proxy for self-reported immigration status for health services researchers. Primary collection/analysis of interview data and secondary analysis of electronic health record data. We developed an EHR algorithm to classify a population of patients as likely undocumented or recent Latino immigrants and validated this algorithm by conducting semi-structured interviews of staff whose main role entails asking about immigration status. We presented them with a list of patients (masked to the interviewer) with whom they had worked, and asked them to indicate patient’s immigration status, if they recalled it. We analyzed the correspondence between staff knowledge and our EHR algorithm. Staff described routine conversations with patients about immigration status. The EHR algorithm had fair agreement (66.2%, 95% CI 57.3–74.2) with staff knowledge. When the staff were more confident of their assessment, agreement increased (77.6%, 95% CI 63.4–88.2). The EHR has potential for studying immigration status in health services research, although more study is needed to determine the accuracy and utility of EHRs for this purpose. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

electronic health records Immigration Hispanic/Latino

Index Keywords

health services research controlled study semi structured interview human immigrant electronic health record writing Article conversation immigration adult Hispanic
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85070322529&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-019-00925-2&partnerID=40&md5=6398ef87c2cac45ab8e03308656fe21e
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00925-2
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English