BACKGROUND
Internet access is increasingly critical for adolescents with regard to obtaining health information and resources, participating in online health promotion and communicating with health practitioners. Yet, past work demonstrates that access is not uniform across U.S. youth, with lower access found among groups with higher health related needs. Population level data yield important insights about access and internet use in the U.S.
OBJECTIVE
To examine internet access and mode of access by social class and race/ethnicity among youth (14-17 years) in the U.S.
METHODS
Using the Current Population Survey (CPS), we examined internet access, cell/smartphone access and modes of connecting to the internet for adolescents for 2015 (unweighted N= 6950; expanded weights N = 17,103,547) and 2017 (unweighted n = 6761; expanded weights N = 17,379,728).
RESULTS
Internet access increased from 2015 to 2017, but SES and racial/ethnic disparities remain. In 2017, the greatest disparities were found for youth in low-income households (no home access (HA) = 23%), and for Blacks (no HA = 18%) and Hispanics (no HA = 14%). Low-income Black and Hispanic youth were the most likely to lack home internet access (no HA, Low-SES Black = 29%; Low-SES Hispanic = 21%). Mode of access (e.g., from home, smartphone) and smartphone only analyses also revealed disparities.
CONCLUSIONS
Without internet access, online dissemination of information, health promotion, and health care will not reach a significant segment of youth. Currently, SES and racial/ethnic disparities in access prolong health inequalities.
Impact of human papillomavirus vaccination on racial/ethnic disparities in vaccine-type human papillomavirus prevalence among 14–26 year old females in the U.S.
