Expanding the Reach and Impact of
Consumer e-Health Tools

June 2006

< Back to Appendix 4 (Part 1)

Appendix 4. A Comparison of Internet Use and Health Status of Populations That Experience Health Disparities (Part 2)

This appendix provides side-by-side comparisons of Internet use and health status measures according to the Healthy People 2010 population categories for which data were available at the time of analysis. Not all health topics have measures for each variable. For example, diabetes has measures for race and ethnicity, gender, education level, geographic location, and age, whereas obesity has measures for race and ethnicity and gender only. These categories are those variables associated with health disparities. The data presented in this section highlight health status measures for diabetes, obesity, asthma, heart disease and stroke, cancer, physical activity, and tobacco use for select populations as well as the related Internet use profiles.

Data from the 2002–2003 Pew Internet & American Life Project’s Daily Internet Tracking Survey were the primary source of data for the technology profiles on Internet use. In addition, data from DATA2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s interactive database system for tracking Healthy People 2010, were used to present health status data as of January 2004. Although the absolute numbers of persons accessing the Internet were lower in 2002–2003 than in the most current Pew surveys (September 2005), the proportions hold true (S. Fox, personal communication, December 2005. See also www.pewinternet.org/trends/user_demo_12.05.05.htm).

1. Diabetes

1.1 Race and Ethnicity

American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanics/Latinos, and Blacks/African Americans have higher rates of diabetes compared to other racial and ethnic groups and also have the lowest rates of Internet use (Figures 1 and 2).

Figure 1

d

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project’s Daily Internet Tracking Survey,
2002–2003

Figure 2

d

Source: CDC Wonder. DATA2010…the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2004

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1.2 Gender

Disparities in diabetes prevalence do not appear to exist between males and females, which is also the pattern with Internet use (Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 3

d

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project's Daily Internet Tracking Survey,
2002-2003

Figure 4

d

Source: CDC Wonder. DATA2010…the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2004

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1.3 Education Level

Individuals with lower levels of education have higher rates of diabetes, but they have lower rates of Internet use compared to those with higher levels of education (Figures 5 and 6).

Figure 5

d

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project's Daily Internet Tracking Survey,
2002-2003

Figure 6

d

Source: CDC Wonder. DATA2010…the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2004

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1.4 Geographic Location

Those living in rural areas experience slightly higher rates of diabetes and also have lower rates of Internet use compared to those living in urban areas (Figures 7 and 8).

Figure 7

d

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project's Daily Internet Tracking Survey,
2002-2003

Figure 8

d

Source: CDC Wonder. DATA2010…the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2004

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1.5 Age

Elderly populations (made up of individuals age 65 and older) have higher rates of diabetes compared to younger populations yet have the lowest rates of Internet use of all age groups (Figures 9 and 10).

Figure 9

d

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project's Daily Internet Tracking Survey,
2002-2003

Figure 10

d

Source: CDC Wonder. DATA2010…the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2004