The Association Between Cardiovascular Health with Internet and Mobile Technology Use Among Jackson Heart Study...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Cardiovascular Health Research

Background:

• Limited research exists on internet and mobile technology (IMT) for cardiovascular health (CVH) self-management in African American communities.
• The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) provides a unique dataset to explore this relationship in older African Americans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between CVH and IMT use among older African Americans.
• To investigate the role of socioeconomic status in the relationship between CVH and IMT use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized JHS data from three time points (2000-2013) and a 2017-2019 Digital Connectedness Survey.
• Assessed CVH using the American Heart Association's Life Simple 7 (LS7) metrics.
• Employed multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses to examine relationships between LS7 scores and IMT use.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between overall LS7 composite scores and IMT use.
• Positive associations were observed between ideal blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol, and using technology to track health.
• Ideal physical activity showed a positive association with using smart devices.

Conclusions:

• While no overall link between IMT use and composite CVH scores was found, individual LS7 metrics showed associations with specific IMT uses.
• Further research is needed to assess the feasibility of using IMT for CVH self-management in older African Americans.