Internet use and online health information seeking among African-American and Hispanic adults: An urban community survey

The Internet holds potential to reduce inequities in access to health information; however, barriers exist to its use as vehicle for health promotion. In order to understand and address barriers and create more effective Internet health messaging tools, we sought to assess Internet use and online health information seeking in a lower-income, urban population. A total of 646 respondents completed a random digit dial landline phone survey in Harlem, New York City. The majority of respondents had used a computer (77%) and the Internet (65%), and about half (52%) were categorized as current Internet users. Similar to results from national studies, findings indicated that younger, better educated, more affluent individuals were more likely to use the Internet. In regard to health information, 43% of respondents reported searching for information on health or medical issues online; of those, 84% agreed that the Internet improved their understanding of symptoms, conditions, or treatments, and 47% agreed that it affected the way they eat or exercise. However, of the total sample, 31% reported having difficulty understanding the health information they read, and 36% said it was hard to find good answers to health questions and concerns. Although digital connectivity continues to exist along a spectrum influenced by education and income, evidence suggests that people of color residing in low-income communities are going online and have interest in using the Internet for health information seeking. Further research is needed to determine how best to utilize this medium to convey literacy-level appropriate health messages.