Understanding Computerised Information Systems Usage in Community Health

This chapter introduces factors that affect computer usage. Discussions of computer systems effectiveness or system success frequently focus on questions of which factors provide better system usage. As there are many factors that affect computer system usage, measuring the influence of the factors is necessary. The objective of the current study was to gain a further understanding of some factors that affect the use of computerised information systems. Most studies have been in business and few studies have been conducted in the health sector and specifically in community health. The study measured the role of external variables on computer attitude, subjective norms, and intention to use computers based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) (1). These external factors included: demographic characteristics, users’ characteristics (computer experience), organisational support, and involvement.