Adoption of Digital Health Records in Urban Youth Mental Health Clinics in Cape Town: An Analysis from an African Perspective

Adoption of digital health records (DHRs) in urban youth mental health clinics has gained attention as a means to improve access and quality of care. Qualitative interviews were conducted with key stakeholders including clinicians and administrative personnel from ten urban youth mental health clinics. Data analysis involved thematic content analysis. Clinicians reported mixed experiences with DHRs; some highlighted improved record-keeping efficiency (80%), while others noted challenges in patient confidentiality (25%). While DHR adoption varies, it shows promise for enhancing operational efficiencies and maintaining privacy standards. Further research is recommended to understand broader impacts. Clinics should prioritise user-friendly interfaces and robust security measures to maximise benefits of DHRs in mental health care settings. Digital Health Records, Urban Youth Mental Health Clinics, Cape Town, South Africa Treatment effect was estimated with logit (pᵢ) =₀+^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.