Lack of access to health information threatens digital divide in the USA

A new paper published by Florida Atlantic University explores the digital divide with a special focus on the extent to which computer ownership, internet access, and digital health information use in patients ages 60 and above. It found that older people of racial and ethnic minorities (African American, Afro-Caribbean, or Hispanic American) were five times less likely to have access to digital health information than their younger, more highly educated, economically advantaged non-Hispanic White patients. The quantitative study hinges on data collection of 562 individuals and a series of focus groups. To address the digital health divide in the older population, the study recommends efforts at different levels including policymaking, internet infrastructure, and patient engagement strategies.