Personal Health Records (PHRs) offer various advantages for individuals
making use of these systems to document and maintain information related to
their health. In addition, PHRs may play a positive role in preventative care and
efforts to prevent and control non-communicable lifestyle diseases. Despite
numerous benefits adoption rates are low, and little is known regarding the
factors that affect adoption in the South African context.
This exploratory paper highlights socio-technical factors that can affect the
adoption of PHRs in the South African context. Socio-Technical Systems theory
is applied as a theoretical lens to identify the social, technical, and
environmental factors that can affect the adoption of PHRs. Factors that can
positively contribute to, as well as negatively inhibit, the adoption of PHRs are
identified.