Spatial distribution of internet use and its determinants among reproductive age women in Jordan evidence 2023 DHS: a multilevel mixed effect analysis.

BACKGROUND

Today, the majority of individuals depend significantly on the Internet in daily life. In Jordan, the Internet penetration rate is improving year to year, but it is not still at a high level compared to the rest of the world and neighboring Asian countries. Due to a lack of satisfactory information, it is important to assess internet use, spatial distribution and determinants of internet use among reproductive-age women in Jordan.

METHOD

Secondary data from JPFHS 2023 were used to analyze 42,692 women aged 15–49 years. Spatial analysis was used using ArcGIS 10.4.1. The Bernoulli model was used by applying Kuldorff’s methods using SaTScan 10.1.2 software to analyze the purely spatial clusters of internet use. A multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression was performed to estimate community variance to identify individual and community-level factors associated with internet use. All models were fitted in STATA version 17.0 and finally, the AOR with a corresponding 95%confidence interval was reported.

RESULT

The magnitude of internet use was 80.37%±95% CI (79.99–80.75). The overall mean of women was 38.24 ± 7.31, with the age range 35–49 years constituting the larger group (69.09%). Women with secondary and above education [AOR = 4.65;95% CI (3.74,5.78)], working [AOR = 1.86;95% CI (1.67,2.08)], women age [AOR = 0.78; 95% CI (0.64,0.94)], middle households [AOR = 1.65 95% CI (1.50,1.81)], divorced [AOR = 0.62; 95% CI (0.47,0.80)], has personal electron wallet [AOR = 1.60 95% CI (1.41,1.80)], and own mobile phone [AOR = 33.34; 95% CI (28.41,39.12)] has higher odds of internet use. The spatial distribution in internet use was found to be nonrandom (global Moran’s I = 0.08, value < 0.001). Sixty-six primary clusters were identified in Irbid region with relative likelihood of 1.18 and LLR of 273.26, at value < 0. 0001.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet use among reproductive age women in Jordan is 80.37% and has spatial variation across the country. Both community and individual level determinants affect internet use in Jordan. Consequently, women’s Internet use might be enhanced by educating them, empowering to use personal electronic wallet and mobile phone and strengthening household income.