According to Nielsen//NetRatings, nearly 75 percent or 204.3 million Americans have access to the Internet from home (March 18, 2004) http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_040318.pdf

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project: "Surveys fielded in 2006 show that internet penetration among adults in the U.S. has hit an all-time high. While the percentage of Americans who say they use the internet has continued to fluctuate slightly, our latest survey, fielded February 15 - April 6, 2006 shows that fully 73% of respondents (about 147 million adults) are internet users, up from 66% (about 133 million adults) in our January 2005 survey. And the share of Americans who have broadband connections at home has now reached 42% (about 84 million), up from 29% (about 59 million) in January 2005." http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/182/report_display.asp

Another report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project looked at Internet access and use among seniors: "The percent of seniors who go online has jumped by 47% between 2000 and 2004. In a February 2004 survey, 22% of Americans age 65 or older reported having access to the Internet, up from 15% in 2000. That translates to about 8 million Americans age 65 or older who use the Internet. By contrast, 58% of Americans age 50-64, 75% of 30-49 year-olds, and 77% of 18-29 year-olds currently go online." And "66% of wired seniors had looked for health or medical information online at some point in their online life by the end of 2003. That is a 13-point jump since 2000, and a growth rate of 25%. And online seniors are much more likely than other Internet users to have logged on to get information about Medicare and Medicaid." http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Seniors_Online_2004.pdf

According to a report sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: "Public libraries have made tremendous strides in giving people access to technology. Yet, more than 40 percent of Americans still do not regularly use the Internet, and many cite barriers to access or lack of skills as the reason." http://www.gatesfoundation.org/nr/Downloads/libraries/uslibraries/reports/TowardEqualityofAccess.pdf

This last report raises a good point that has been confirmed by some independent research I was recently involved in with Family Health Center. Our mission is to improve access to primary care services for the medically underserved. In a recent survey, one of the questions we asked our members is "How often do you use the Internet?" So far, 1603 surveys have been returned. The breakdown is as follows:

How often do you use the Internet?
	Often - 239 (15%)
	Sometimes - 258 (16%)
	Rarely - 136 (9%)
	Not at All - 951 (60%)

Why so many of our members NEVER use the Internet? We didn't ask "why" on the survey  (maybe we should have!) but I'm thinking it has less to do with access and more to do with "barriers to access" (perhaps lack of transportation to the nearest public library) or lack of skills (not knowing how to use the Internet and/or not knowing where to get help).

Our member survey also asked about our newsletters and other printed materials we mail out,  and 89% of responders said the health information in our newsletters is "helpful" or "very helpful." Our newsletters provide good health information, but we often included a list of web links for more information. While Internet "access" may have increased over the years, the majority of our members report that they never use the Internet. To make sure we reach all of our members, we now no longer provide just a list of Internet resources. For example, in a recent article about diabetes foot care, we provided a link to the National Diabetes Education Program Website where one can download a free copy of their booklet "Take care of your Feet for Lifetime." We also offered an option for those who do not have access to the Internet. They can call our office (toll free) and we will print a copy here and mail it to them. In other words, we use the Internet for them, and make sure they have access to information that can help them improve and maintain their health.


FOR MORE INFORMATION about Internet access and use, see…


FALLING THROUGH THE NET: TOWARD DIGITAL INCLUSION
A Report on Americans' Access to Technology Tools (October 2000)
http://search.ntia.doc.gov/pdf/fttn00.pdf


Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2003
U.S. Department of Commerce
http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf



>From Healthy People 2010


Objective 11-1. Increase the proportion of households with access to the Internet at home.

Baseline: 26 percent of households had access to the Internet at home in 1998.

With communication technologies, the disparity in access to electronic information resources is commonly referred to as the "digital divide."[28] The digital divide becomes more critical as the amount and variety of health resources available over the Internet increase and as people need more sophisticated skills to use electronic resources.[29] Equitably distributed health communication resources and skills, and a robust communication infrastructure can contribute to the closing of the digital divide and the overarching goal of Healthy People 2010 to eliminate health disparities.

Although the proportion of people with access to the Internet has risen dramatically since 1995, many segments of the population lack access, such as low-income and rural households; persons with less education; and certain racial and ethnic groups, such as African Americans and Hispanics.[28] Internet access rates vary considerably according to income. Only 11 percent of households earning $24,999 or less have access, whereas 19 percent are connected among those earning $25,000 to $34,999; 30 percent have access among those earning $35,000 to $49,999; and 52 percent of households with $50,000 or greater in income have an Internet connection.[28] Barriers to Internet access include cost, lack of services in certain communities, limited literacy, lack of familiarity with different technologies, and, especially for people with disabilities, inaccessible formats that limit appropriate and effective technology use. Initiatives to promote universal access to the Internet will involve public and private sector stakeholders, particularly government agencies and technology corporations.

[28] U.S. Department of Commerce. Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide. Washington, DC: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1999. 
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide/  July 29, 1999.

[29] Eng, T.R.; Maxfield, A.; Patrick, K.; et al. Access to health information and support: A public highway or a private road? Journal of the American Medical Association 280(15):1371-1375, 1998. PubMed; PMID 9794322




Doug Seubert
Quality Improvement & Care Management
Family Health Center/Community Heath Access

Marshfield Clinic
1000 N Oak Avenue
Marshfield, WI 54449
www.marshfieldclinic.org/quality

(715) 387-5096 (1-800-782-8581 ext. 75096)
seubert.douglas at marshfieldclinic.org



------Original Message------
From:	"Rogers, Jaclyn" <jacrogers at state.pa.us>
Date:	Wed Jul 30, 2008 -- 10:30:59 AM
To:	healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject:	[HealthLiteracy 2196]  Web Access

 Does anyone know of any resources, or a location that I can obtain
information that demonstrates how many persons with low health literacy
and/or low literacy skills have Internet Access?


Jacki Rogers| Public Health Program Administrator
Bureau of Health Promotion & Risk Reduction
Pennsylvania Department of Health
7th & Forster Streets | Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: 717.787.6214 | Fax: 717.783.5498
www.health.state.pa.us


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