Amy Nguyen1, Sasan Mosadeghi2, Christopher V Almario3. 1. Division of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), Los Angeles, CA, United States; David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. 2. Division of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), Los Angeles, CA, United States. 3. Division of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CS-CORE), Los Angeles, CA, United States; David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: Christopher.Almario@csmc.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Access to the Internet has grown dramatically over the past two decades. Using data from a population-based survey, we aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of (i) access to the Internet, and (ii) use of the Internet to search for health information. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2011-12 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and included all individuals 18 years of age and older. Our outcomes were (i) prior use of the Internet, and (ii) use of the Internet to find health or medical information within the past year. We performed survey-weighted logistic regression models on our outcomes to adjust for potentially confounding demographic and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: Our study included an unweighted and survey-weighted sample of 42,935 and 27,796,484 individuals, respectively. We found that 81.5% of the weighted sample reported having previously used the Internet. Among Internet users, 64.5% stated that they used the Internet within the past year to find health or medical information. Racial/ethnic minorities, older individuals, and those who lived in lower income households and rural areas were less likely to have access to and use the Internet to search for health information. Conversely, English-proficiency and increasing levels of education were positively associated with online health information-seeking. CONCLUSIONS: We found that most Californians have access to and use the Internet to search for health information, but still noted a persistent digital divide. Interventions to narrow the divide are needed, otherwise this may lead to a continued widening of existing healthcare disparities.
OBJECTIVES: Access to the Internet has grown dramatically over the past two decades. Using data from a population-based survey, we aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of (i) access to the Internet, and (ii) use of the Internet to search for health information. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2011-12 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and included all individuals 18 years of age and older. Our outcomes were (i) prior use of the Internet, and (ii) use of the Internet to find health or medical information within the past year. We performed survey-weighted logistic regression models on our outcomes to adjust for potentially confounding demographic and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: Our study included an unweighted and survey-weighted sample of 42,935 and 27,796,484 individuals, respectively. We found that 81.5% of the weighted sample reported having previously used the Internet. Among Internet users, 64.5% stated that they used the Internet within the past year to find health or medical information. Racial/ethnic minorities, older individuals, and those who lived in lower income households and rural areas were less likely to have access to and use the Internet to search for health information. Conversely, English-proficiency and increasing levels of education were positively associated with online health information-seeking. CONCLUSIONS: We found that most Californians have access to and use the Internet to search for health information, but still noted a persistent digital divide. Interventions to narrow the divide are needed, otherwise this may lead to a continued widening of existing healthcare disparities.
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