From Disparity to Opportunity: Racial Differences in Internet Access and Health App Usage Among Older Informal...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Informatics
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Older informal caregivers play a crucial role in healthcare.
• Digital technology offers potential support for caregivers, but access and usage may vary by race.
• Understanding these disparities is vital for equitable technology implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine Black-White disparities in Internet and smart device usage among older informal caregivers.
• To assess racial differences in social media engagement and smart device ownership.
• To investigate health-related app usage among smart device-owning caregivers by race.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pooled data from the 2017-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (N = 1,005, aged 50+).
• Employed logistic regression to analyze racial disparities in technology adoption and usage.
• Examined specific health-related app usage among smart device owners.

Main Results:

• Older Black caregivers were significantly less likely to use the Internet compared to White caregivers (OR = 0.23).
• Among smart device owners, Black caregivers showed higher likelihood of using apps for health goals (OR = 2.42) and decision-making (OR = 1.87).
• Despite lower overall Internet access, Black caregivers exhibit strong engagement with digital health tools when available.

Conclusions:

• Racial disparities exist in Internet access among older caregivers.
• Black caregivers demonstrate a high propensity to utilize digital health applications when they have access.
• Bridging the digital divide is essential to enhance equity and support for older, underserved caregivers.