title: Health-Specific Information and Communication Technology Use and Its Relationship to Obesity in High-Poverty, Urban Communities: Analysis of a Population-Based Biosocial Survey.
abstract: More than 35% of American adults are obese. For African American and Hispanic adults, as well as individuals residing in poorer or more racially segregated urban neighborhoods, the likelihood of obesity is even higher. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) may substitute for or complement community-based resources for weight management. However, little is currently known about health-specific ICT use among urban-dwelling people with obesity.
  
  
  
  We describe health-specific ICT use and its relationship to measured obesity among adults in high-poverty urban communities.
  
  
  
  Using data collected between November 2012 and July 2013 from a population-based probability sample of urban-dwelling African American and Hispanic adults residing on the South Side of Chicago, we described patterns of ICT use in relation to measured obesity defined by a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m(2). Among those with BMI≥30 kg/m(2), we also assessed the association between health-specific ICT use and diagnosed versus undiagnosed obesity as well as differences in health-specific ICT use by self-reported comorbidities, including diabetes and hypertension.
  
  
  
  The survey response rate was 44.6% (267 completed surveys/598.4 eligible or likely eligible individuals); 53.2% were African American and 34.6% were Hispanic. More than 35% of the population reported an annual income of less than US $25,000. The population prevalence of measured obesity was 50.2%. People with measured obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m(2)) were more likely to report both general (81.5% vs 67.0%, P=.04) and health-specific (61.1% vs 41.2%, P=.01) ICT use. In contrast, among those with measured obesity, being told of this diagnosis by a physician was not associated with increased health-specific ICT use. People with measured obesity alone had higher rates of health-specific use than those with comorbid hypertension and/or diabetes diagnoses (77.1% vs 60.7% vs 47.4%, P=.04).
  
  
  
  In conclusion, ICT-based health resources may be particularly useful for people in high-poverty urban communities with isolated measured obesity, a population that is at high risk for poor health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States. Anjali.Gopalan@kp.org.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9300-1154
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gopalan
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6484-1675
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Makelarski
authors.forename: Lori B
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7421-1060
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Garibay
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0051-2458
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Escamilla
authors.forename: Raina M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9801-6881
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: Marcus B
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0682-0854
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9703-3068
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holbrook
authors.forename: Stacy Tessler
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9054-6538
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lindau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D003142:Communication; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Internet; obesity; technology; urban health