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Differential Access to Digital Communication Technology: Association with Health and Health Survey Recruitment within an African-American Underserviced Urban Population

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Abstract

Digital communication technologies (DCT), such as cell phones and the internet, have begun to replace more traditional technologies even in technology-poor communities. We characterized access to DCT in an underserved urban population and whether access is associated with health and study participation. A general probability community sample and a purposive high-turnover housing sample were recruited and re-interviewed after 3 months. Selected characteristics were compared by sample type and retention. Associations between DCT access and self-reported health were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Of 363 eligible individuals, 184 (general community = 119; high-turnover housing = 65) completed the baseline survey. Eighty-four percent of respondents had a cell phone and 62% had ever texted. Ever use of the internet was high (69%) overall, but frequency and years of internet use were higher in the general community sample. Self-reported fair or poor health was more common for residents of cell phone–only households and those with less frequent internet use. Technology use was similar for those retained and not retained. Overall, access to DCT was high in this underserved urban population but varied by sample type. Health varied significantly by DCT use, but study retention did not. These data have implications for incorporating DCT into health-related research in urban populations.

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Notes

  1. Mean number of attempts in the recruitment phase was 5.7 for core cases vs. 2.4 for replacement cases. Two thirds (66%) of core cases had at least one field attempt compared with about a fifth (19%) for replacement cases. About half of the core cases (52%) had contact attempts in each of three modes (phone, field, and mail) compared with just 8% of replacement cases. Response rate is significantly higher for the core cases, but cost per case is significantly higher as well. Additional details about the study methods are available upon request.

  2. Response rate calculated using RR3, a standard response rate formula provided by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. The numerator equals completed cases. The denominator equals all cases fielded, less out-of-scope cases, and less that proportion of unknown eligible cases that corresponds to the rate of ineligibility for cases in which eligibility was determined.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge research assistance and help with preparation of the manuscript for submission from Natalie Watson and Thuy Tran. The authors are grateful for the assistance of these individuals who are paid employees of Dr. Stacy Lindau and the South Side Health and Vitality Studies. The authors acknowledge the contributions of the University of Chicago Survey Lab, paid consultants of the South Side Health and Vitality Studies, specifically David Chearo and Kevin Ulrich for their contributions to the data collection efforts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine and Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    John Schneider

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urban Health Initiative, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Jennifer A. Makelarski & Emily Abramsohn

  3. Survey Lab, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Martha Van Haitsma

  4. Departments of Pediatrics and Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Rebecca B. Lipton

  5. Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Diane S. Lauderdale

  6. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine-Geriatrics, Urban Health Initiative, and the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Stacy Tessler Lindau

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  1. John Schneider
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  2. Jennifer A. Makelarski
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  3. Martha Van Haitsma
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  4. Rebecca B. Lipton
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  5. Emily Abramsohn
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  6. Diane S. Lauderdale
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  7. Stacy Tessler Lindau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John Schneider.

Additional information

The South Side Health and Vitality Studies (P.I. Stacy Lindau, MD, MAPP) are supported by funding from the University of Chicago Medical Center Division of the Biological Sciences; the Urban Health Initiative of the University of Chicago Medical Center, led by Eric Whitaker, MD, MPH; the Walter G. Zoller Memorial Fund at the University of Chicago; the Chicago Community Trust; the George Kaiser Family Foundation; the Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute; the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health; and individual philanthropists, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Ellen H. Block, and Patricia O. Cox. Dr. John Schneider was supported in part by grant KL2RR025000 from the National Center for Research Resources. Dr. Stacy Lindau is currently supported by a research career development award from the National Institutes of Health (1K23AG032870).

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Schneider, J., Makelarski, J.A., Van Haitsma, M. et al. Differential Access to Digital Communication Technology: Association with Health and Health Survey Recruitment within an African-American Underserviced Urban Population. J Urban Health 88, 479–492 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-010-9533-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-010-9533-6

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