No Digital Divide? Technology Use among Homeless Adults

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Sociology

Background:

• Homeless adults face significant health disparities.
• Technology-based interventions offer potential for health improvement in vulnerable populations.
• Understanding technology access among homeless individuals is crucial for intervention design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe technology access and usage patterns among homeless adults.
• To compare technology use in homeless adults to the general population.
• To assess the feasibility of digital health interventions for homeless populations.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of technology access and use.
• Data collected from 421 homeless adults transitioning into permanent supportive housing (PSH).
• Comparison with age-matched general population data.

Main Results:

• 94% of homeless adults owned a cell phone, with high turnover rates for phones and numbers.
• Over 50% owned smartphones, primarily Android.
• 85% used cell phones daily; 76% used text messaging; 51% accessed the internet via cell phone, while 33% had no internet use in 3 months.

Conclusions:

• Cell phone ownership is high among homeless adults, indicating potential for digital health delivery.
• Significant internet access gaps and phone turnover necessitate careful intervention design.
• Digital technology presents a feasible, though not universally accessible, channel for health and wellness programs for this population.