Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States.
Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institutes, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States.
Front Public Health. 2024 Feb 21;12:1328544. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1328544. eCollection 2024.
This study examined access to technology, internet usage, and online health information-seeking behaviors, in a racially diverse, lower-income population.
Data were obtained via a cross-sectional survey of low-income communities in Houston, Los Angeles, and New York between April and August 2023. Binary responses to the following online health information-seeking behaviors, internet and technology access, were examined: using the internet to (i) understand a medical diagnosis, (ii) fill a prescription, (iii) schedule a healthcare appointment, (iv) email communication with a healthcare provider, and (v) access electronic health records and medical notes.
41% of survey respondents identified as non-Hispanic Black individuals, 33% as non-Hispanic White individuals, and 22% as Hispanic individuals. 69% reported a pre-tax annual household income of less than $35,000. 97% reported ownership/access to a smart device; 97% reported access to reliable internet. In the past year, only 59% reported using the internet to better understand their medical diagnosis, 36% reported filling a prescription online, 47% scheduled a medical appointment online, 47% viewed electronic health records online, and 56% emailed healthcare providers. Female sex, higher incomes, and having at least a bachelor's degree were significantly associated with all five online health information-seeking attributes.
Despite high technology adoption rates, we observed suboptimal online health information-seeking behaviors. This underutilization has potential adverse implications for healthcare access and use given the documented advantage of HIT. Efforts to increase health information-seeking behaviors should explore the identification of HIT barriers, and patient education to increase familiarity and usage in this population.
本研究考察了一个种族多样化、低收入人群的技术获取、互联网使用和在线健康信息搜索行为。
数据来自 2023 年 4 月至 8 月期间在休斯顿、洛杉矶和纽约的低收入社区进行的横断面调查。通过对以下在线健康信息搜索行为（互联网和技术访问）的二项式反应来检查：（i）使用互联网了解医疗诊断、（ii） 填写处方、（iii）安排医疗预约、（iv）与医疗服务提供者进行电子邮件通信，以及（v）访问电子健康记录和医疗记录。
41%的调查受访者是非西班牙裔黑人，33%是非西班牙裔白人，22%是西班牙裔。69%报告税前家庭年收入低于 35000 美元。97%报告拥有/可以访问智能设备；97%报告可以可靠地上网。在过去的一年里，只有 59%的人报告说使用互联网更好地了解自己的医疗诊断，36%的人报告说在线填写处方，47%的人在线预约医疗预约，47%的人在线查看电子健康记录，56%的人通过电子邮件向医疗服务提供者发送信息。女性、较高的收入和至少拥有学士学位与所有五项在线健康信息搜索属性显著相关。
尽管采用了高的技术，但我们观察到在线健康信息搜索行为不佳。鉴于已经记录到的 HIT 的优势，这种低利用率可能对医疗保健的获取和使用产生不利影响。增加健康信息搜索行为的努力应该探索识别 HIT 障碍，并对该人群进行患者教育，以提高他们对 HIT 的熟悉程度和使用程度。
