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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Elizabeth M. Bertera, MSW, PhD, Howard University, 601 Howard Place, NW, Washington, DC, DC 20059, 202-806-4731, ebertera@aol.com, Russell M. Morgan, DrPH, SPRY Foundation, President, 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002-4215, Robert L. Bertera, DrPH, CHES, SPRY Foundation, Evaluation Research, 1725 Shilling Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20906, and Ellen Wuertz, RN, MPH, Community Preservation and Development Corporation, Senior Living Enhancement Manager, 601 Edgewood St, NW, Suite 25, Washington, DC 20017.

Health information is evolving rapidly and yet many low income minority older adults do not use the latest health information available via the internet. SPRY Foundation, Washington DC, worked with its partners, Community Preservation & Development Corporation, Washington Hospital Center Library, and National Library of Medicine to test senior housing-based training to improve access to NIH web resources (SeniorHealth.gov and MedlinePlus.gov). Participants had limited education and income, averaged 70 years of age, and were predominantly female (71%) African Americans (87%). Some residents were trained 15 hours as Senior Internet Navigators (Navigators) to assist with the training of other residents. Navigators worked closely with a master trainer in the senior housing computer learning center to increase skills and self-efficacy in two hour hands-on sessions with 8-12 residents each. A pre-post assessment measured changes in computer and website navigation skills, behavioral intention to use health websites, and interest in learning more. Preliminary results with the first 24 participants showed that the number of computer skills and health website navigation skills each increased significantly (0.37 vs. 3.58 out of 5, p<.001). The majority (82%) were motivated to learn more and 91% intend to use health web resources in future. The approach is being refined as more residents are recruited and as volunteer Navigators gain experience in assisting peers. Preliminary findings suggest that targeted training with peer support from volunteer Navigators is a promising tool for increasing use of reliable health web resources in underserved African American older adults with low baseline computer skills.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe three key elements required to reduce barriers to internet access among underserved older adults with low computer literacy.
• 2. Discuss strategies for increasing recruitment and retention of participants and peer volunteers to assist with learning and practice of new search and navigation skills.
• 3. Understand evaluation techniques that measure critical behavioral outcomes without distracting from learning activities.

Keywords: Health Information, Peer Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No