Predictors of women's Internet access and Internet health seeking.
A random, population-based sample of 431 women aged 18-74 in King County, Washington, USA, completed a survey module on Internet use and access. Level of mental health, level of general health perceptions, older age, and higher income predicted women's health-related Internet use. Participants without access reported various barriers to obtaining access; perceived lack of usefulness of the Internet as an information source and unfamiliarity with using this technology appear equally important reasons as financial cost for not adopting the Internet. Internet use motivators are complex; these findings have relevance to the design of Internet-based interventions.
Bowen
Deborah
D
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA. dbowen@fhcrc.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003197:Computer Literacy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014861:Washington; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health