title: Consumer health informatics: a consensus description and commentary from American Medical Informatics Association members.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although interest in Consumer Health Informatics (CHI) has increased, a consensus definition of CHI does not yet exist.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a hypothesis-generating survey of AMIA members regarding definition and research agenda for CHI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We solicited participation among AMIA members in an Internet-based survey focusing on issues related to a definition of CHI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty-five AMIA members responded. Participants indicated a broad spectrum of topics important to CHI including "self-help for disease management" and "patient access to their own medical records." CHI research was felt to rely heavily on public health methods such as epidemiology and outcomes research, a paradigm shift from traditional medical informatics. Responses indicated a perceived lack of funding and need for further research in CHI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A working definition should emphasize the multidisciplinary nature of CHI, include consumer input into CHI design, and focus on public health approaches to evaluation.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Houston
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kukafka
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D003625:Data Collection; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D008490:Medical Informatics; D012955:Societies, Medical