title: Mobile technology, cancer prevention, and health status among diverse, low-income adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Characterize mobile technology ownership, use, and relationship to self-reported cancer prevention behaviors and health status in a diverse, low-income sample of callers to 2-1-1.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analyses of cross-sectional survey data from a larger trial collected from June 2010 to December 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  United Way Missouri 2-1-1 serves 99 of 114 counties and received 166,000 calls in 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  The respondents (baseline, n = 1898; 4 month, n = 1242) were predominantly female, non-Hispanic Black, younger than 50 years, with high-school education or less and annual income <$20,000.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell phone ownership and use and its relationship to cancer prevention services and health status were assessed via telephone-based survey, using items adapted from previous research and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Smartphone ownership and use were also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate associations between cell phone ownership and prevention and health status are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-fourths (74%) of study participants owned a cell phone and 23% owned a smartphone. Text messaging was the most popular use. Ownership was significantly associated with good to excellent health status and presence of smoke-free home policies in multivariate models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cell phone ownership is growing and has potential to deliver health information to low-income populations. With 16 million calls annually, the national 2-1-1 system may be a promising model and platform.
authors.forename: Jason Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Purnell
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Eddens
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kreuter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D040421:Cell Phone; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: 2-1-1; Cellular Phone; Health Behavior; Health Status; Poverty; Prevention; Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research; Research purpose: modeling; descriptive; Study design: nonexperimental; Outcome measure: behavioral; Setting: state; Health focus: cancer prevention and control; racial and ethnic minority population; self-reported health status; Strategy: communication; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: low-income populations