Introduction: FHH is a risk factor for chronic diseases. Pediatric practice is an optimal setting to incorporate FHH because risk factors may be identified and preventive measures implemented earlier in life, resulting in sustained and improved health outcomes. My Family Health Portrait (MFHP) is a web-based tool to help families collect and share their FHH with their health care provider. To our knowledge, providers’ views about the clinical utility of MFHP, or other parent-generated FHH tools, have not been assessed in a pediatric setting.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe how pediatric providers collect and use FHH in practice and to collect data about the perceived clinical utility of MFHP as a pediatric health promotion and disease prevention tool.
Methods: A random sample of 148 pediatric providers was invited to participate in a semi-structured qualitative interview. All transcripts were reviewed and coded inductively by two coders, and inter-rater reliability was determined.
Results: 21 providers completed study interviews. Participants unanimously collected FHH at new patient visits and when patients present with a symptom or complaint. Most providers believed that collecting FHH of chronic disease benefits the pediatric population. The most commonly cited barrier to FHH collection was the short visit time, and the most frequently suggested idea for improving FHH was collecting it prior to the office visit. Providers believed that the use of MFHP would improve FHH collection and allow for targeted education and preventive recommendations. Respondents also identified logistical and patient characteristic issues that must be resolved to integrate MFHP into clinical practice.
Conclusions: Our research suggests that pediatric primary care presents many opportunities to collect and discuss FHH with patients, and that providers are optimistic about the clinical use of a parent-generated FHH collection tool. Future research should assess parent perspectives about the use of MFHP.