title: Assessment of technology access and preference for health education of a rural Hispanic community.
abstract: In the United States, Hispanic populations tend to have higher incidences of chronic disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity and hyperlipidemias [1]. They are also more likely to be underinsured or uninsured than other populations [2]. The purpose of this descriptive technology assessment survey study was to determine computer and internet access, skill level and health education information preferences of a rural Hispanic (primarily Mexican-American) population in the United States. Among the sample, 81% of individuals who answered the survey had a computer and internet access in their home. Nineteen percent did not have computers or internet access in their homes. Compared to the average 54% home internet access found by the Pew Hispanic Research Center the rural convenience sample in this study had a high percentage of technology access. Recommendations include using multimedia to improve the health information accessability among Hispanic persons.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Scottsbluff, NE 69361, USA. taguirre@unmc.edu
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000208:ethnology*; D012424:Rural Population