scholarly journals The impact of Internet use on mental wellbeing and health behaviours among persons with disability

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Szulc ◽  
M Duplaga
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Disability is frequently related to the digital divide. However, the Internet may be also an opportunity for many people with disabilities, especially for those who suffer from difficulties in involving in social activities. For some of them, it is also a tool for undertaking professional tasks. The aim of the study was the assessment of the impact of the Internet on selected aspects of psychological wellbeing and undertaking health behaviours in persons with disabilities. Methods From the data set of the biannual Social Diagnosis survey, data of respondents confirming the status of disability were extracted. They were used for the development of multivariate logistic regression models for self-assessment of life, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts, feeling lonely, the use of psychological support and health behaviours. The impact of Internet usage was adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Weights provided by the study team were used in the analysis. Results The responses from 3231 respondents were used in the analysis. There were 33.1% of Internet users in the study group. Respondents with a mild disability made 25.3%, with moderate 39.4%, with severe 24.2%, and without an established degree of disability 11.1%. Logistic regression modelling revealed that Internet users more frequently assessed their lives as happy (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval (OR, 95%CI): 1.40, 1.13-1.75) and undertook some form of physical activity (2.32, 1.84-2.91). They also less frequently excessively consumed alcohol (0.51, 0.33-0.80). No relation was found for experiencing loneliness (0.89, 0.71-1.12), suicidal thoughts (0.998, 0.77-1.29), receiving psychological care (0.84, 0.62-1.14) and smoking (0.83, 0.66-1.04). Conclusions Although persons with disabilities suffer from digital divide, Internet use may exert a beneficial impact on their wellbeing and favour more beneficial health behaviours. Key messages Internet access and use among persons with disabilities may be an opportunity for improved wellbeing. Persons with disabilities who are Internet users assess their lives as more happy and demonstrate more favourable health behaviours.

scholarly journals The Association of Internet Use with Wellbeing, Mental Health and Health Behaviours of Persons with Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariusz Duplaga ◽  
Katarzyna Szulc
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Psychological Help ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Degree Of Disability ◽  
Use Of The Internet

Introduction: There is strong evidence that people with disabilities suffer from a significant digital divide. However, there are reports indicating that Internet use may result in many benefits for those with disabilities. The aim of the study was to assess the impact that the use of the Internet has on the wellbeing and health behaviours of persons with disabilities. Methods: An analysis was carried out using the dataset obtained from Social Diagnosis, a panel study undertaken on a nationally representative sample. The records of persons with disabilities were retrieved from the dataset which was established in 2015. An analysis of the association between Internet use and the wellbeing, mental health and health behaviours of the respondents was undertaken. The variables reflecting the self-assessment of their own life and experience of loneliness were treated as being indicators of their wellbeing and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts or making use of psychological help as indicators of mental health. The health behaviours analysed in the study included smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and undertaking physical activity. For all these variables, multivariate logistic regression models were developed. The effect of Internet use was adjusted for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability. An analysis was performed after applying post-stratification weights available from the Social Diagnosis study. Results: The weighted study group consisted of 2529 people having a mean age of 59.33 ± 16.89 years. The group included 20.71% (N = 524) respondents with a mild, 41.58% (N = 1052) with a moderate, and 26.54% (N = 671) with a severe disability. The proportion of Internet users was 37.07% (N = 937). In all the regression models, Internet use had a significant impact on the dependent variables. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables and the degree of disability, the Internet users more frequently assessed their lives as happy (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.86, 1.47–2.37) and less frequently experienced loneliness (0.63, 0.49–0.81) or suicidal thoughts (0.47, 0.35–0.65). In addition, they needed psychological help less frequently (0.50, 0.35–0.72). Interestingly, Internet users undertook some form of physical activity or sport more often (2.41, 1.87–3.13) and fewer smoked cigarettes (0.70, 0.54–0.91) or consumed alcohol excessively (0.32, 0.19–0.56). Conclusions: The use of the Internet by people with disabilities was associated with improved wellbeing, better mental health and more beneficial health behaviours. These findings support the development of intensive actions to reduce the digital divide for the population of people with disabilities.

The association between Internet use and health outcomes in the population of older adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Szulc ◽  
M Duplaga
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Internet has become one of the primary sources of health-related information. Less is known about the impact of Internet access and use on health-related outcomes in the older population, which frequently suffer from a digital divide. The main objective of this study was the assessment of the associations between Internet use and variables reflecting health status, the use of health services and health behaviours in the population at least 50 years old. Methods The analysis was carried out on the data set from the telephone-based survey in a sample of 1000 respondents representative for targeted age strata of Polish society. The effects of Internet use were assessed with logistic regression models after adjusting for key socioeconomic variables. Results Mean age (standard deviation) of respondents was 64.2 (9.6). In the study group, 51.1% respondents were Internet users, 19.4% - persons with disabilities, 21.2% were hospitalised at least once, and 51.0% visited health care facilities at least six times in preceding 12 months. The respondents being Internet users less frequently reported chronic diseases (OR, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.16-0.30), disability status (0.52, 0.37-0.72) and higher self-assessed health status (1.64, 1.24-2.16). They also less often used health services in the preceding 12 months (0.77, 0.60-0.99. Internet use was not associated with hospital admission in the preceding year (1.04, 0.76-1.41) and most of the health behaviours (smoking: 1.06, 0.77-1.45, physical activity: 0.85, 0.63-1.15, the consumption of fruits and vegetables: 0.73, 0.50-1.07). Interestingly, Internet users drunk more alcohol (1.52, 1.14-2.02). Conclusions In the population of older adults, the use of the Internet is associated with variables reflecting health status and the utilisation of health services. Higher health status and lower prevalence of chronic conditions among Internet users were found after adjusting for age and other socioeconomic factors. Key messages It was shown that Internet use may be related with more favourable health outcomes. The reported association should trigger further research on the impact of Internet in elderly persons.

scholarly journals Impact of an educational intervention on internet usage, among students of an urban higher secondary school in Kochi, Kerala

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2754
Author(s):  
Reshma Javed ◽  
Sreelakshmi Mohandas ◽  
Alexander John ◽  
Nimitha Paul ◽  
Retheesh Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Educational Intervention ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Internet Usage ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
The Impact

Background: Two-thirds of the 1.11 billion internet users globally are from developing countries. In India, there were 243 million internet users, in 2014. The objectives were to determine the impact of an educational intervention, on internet usage, to estimate the prevalence and to assess the pattern of usage and to assess factors associated with internet usage among students of a higher secondary school.Methods: A school-based interventional study was carried out in Model Technical Higher secondary school, randomly selected from a list of schools in the field practice area of the department. The minimum calculated sample size was 50. All students from 11th and 12th standards were included in the study. The intervention was an interactive health education session focussing on the efficient and safe use of the internet. Post-test data were collected one month after the intervention.Results: The prevalence of internet use was 97%, with the majority starting to use the internet between the ages of 11 and 14 years. Our intervention did not bring a significant change to the number of internet users; however, there was a significant decrease in the number of students using the internet from cafés, the safety concerns of which were addressed during the educational talk.Conclusions: The educational intervention had a positive impact on internet use among students. Therefore, identifying patterns of internet use among students and educating the youth regarding the proper use of the internet is essential.

scholarly journals Profiles of a Health Information–Seeking Population and the Current Digital Divide: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2015-2016 California Health Interview Survey (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hena Naz Din ◽  
Corinne McDaniels-Davidson ◽  
Jesse Nodora ◽  
Hala Madanat
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Use Of The Internet

BACKGROUND Internet use for health information is important, given the rise of electronic health (eHealth) that integrates technology into health care. Despite the perceived widespread use of the internet, a persistent “digital divide” exists in which many individuals have ready access to the internet and others do not. To date, most published reports have compared characteristics of internet users seeking health information vs nonusers. However, there is little understanding of the differences between internet users seeking health information online and users who do not seek such information online. Understanding these differences could enable targeted outreach for health interventions and promotion of eHealth technologies. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess population-level characteristics associated with different types of internet use, particularly for seeking online health information. METHODS The 2015-2016 California Health Interview Survey datasets were used for this study. Internet use was classified as never used the internet (Never use), ever used the internet but not to search for health information in the last 12 months (Use not for health), and ever used the internet and have used it to search for health information in the last 12 months (Use for health). Weighted multinomial logistic regression was used to assess sociodemographic and health characteristics associated with types of internet use. Findings are reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. RESULTS Among 42,087 participants (weighted sample of 29,236,426), 19% reported Never Use of the internet, 27.9% reported Use not for health, and 53.1% reported Use for health. Compared to Never Use individuals, Use for health individuals were more likely to be younger (OR: 0.1, 95% CI 0.1-0.2 for ≥60 years vs <60 years), female (OR: 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9 compared to males), and non-Hispanic white (OR: 0.54, 95% CI 0.4-0.7 for Latinos and OR: 0.2, 95% CI 0.2-0.4 for African Americans) and have a higher socioeconomic status (>400% of Federal Poverty Guidelines; OR: 1.3, 95% CI 1.4-2.4). Overall, characteristics for the Use not for health and Use for health groups were similar, except for those with lower levels of education and respondents not having visited a physician in the last year. For these two characteristics, the Use not for health group was more similar to the Never Use group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that a digital divide characterized by sociodemographic and health information exists across three types of users. Our results are in line with those of previous studies on the divide, specifically with regard to disparities in use and access related to age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Disparities in online health-seeking behavior may reflect existing disparities in health care access extending into a new era of health technology. These findings support the need for interventions to target internet access and health literacy among Never Use and Use not for health groups.

Connection Disparities

2010 ◽  
pp. 346-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Davison ◽  
Shelia R. Cotton
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Third World ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Physical Access ◽  
Computer Resources

In assessing the integration of the Internet into society, scholars have documented that certain sectors of the population are disadvantaged by their lack of physical access to computer resources. The disadvantaged have traditionally included the less educated, nonwhites, females, the elderly, lower income people and third world citizens. Scholars are now beginning to go beyond basic issues of access to address differences in Internet experiences among Internet users. However, few digital divide researchers focus on the importance and impacts of the various types of connections people use to log onto the Internet. Among U.S. Internet users, we examine which is more important in determining Internet use, the traditional digital divide factors or type of connection. This study examines a wide range of online activities that provide vital information and services for Internet users. We find that connection disparities explain more variance in time spent online engaged in essential tasks, than most other long-established digital divide measures.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNET USE AND PERCEIVED LONELINESS AMONG OLDER CHINESE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S413-S413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijie Song ◽  
Shijie Song ◽  
Yuxiang (Chris) Zhao ◽  
Qinghua Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dummy Variable ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract There is a long debate on the impact of Internet use on individuals’ perceived loneliness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between older Chinese people’s Internet use and their perceived loneliness. We employed cross-sectional data from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 7,343; age range: 50-80 years old; Mean = 62.48; SD=8.00). Loneliness was measured by a 4-point Likert scale (Mean = 1.60, SD = 1.05) on the frequency of loneliness perception (higher score indicates higher loneliness). Internet use was measured by a dummy variable (Mean = 0.05, SD = 0.23). The results of multiple regression suggest that older Internet users reported significantly lower loneliness (B = -0.127, SD = 0.045, p = 0.005) compared with non-Internet users, suggesting a mitigating effect of Internet use on loneliness. Thus, the Internet might be implemented as an intervention to reduce loneliness among older adults in China.

scholarly journals The Impact of Online Health Information on Patient Health Behaviours and Making Decisions Concerning Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Magdalena Bujnowska-Fedak ◽  
Paulina Węgierek
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Treatment Information ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Health Decision ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The Impact

The number of Internet users searching for health-related issues increases significantly every year. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how the information about health and disease obtained from the Internet by patients influenced them and how different e-health services can affect the patients’ choice of the doctor. The research was based on a national survey conducted among 1000 Polish adults. The study was carried out with the use of the computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). The study showed that e-health facilities are increasingly affecting the patient’s choice of doctor. Among the highest rated factors, the possibility of setting the date of appointment online and practice’s own website were indicated. Information on health and disease obtained from the Internet influenced respondents in many areas. Almost half of health Internet users (HI-users) wanted to change their diet and increase healthy physical activity under the influence of health information obtained online. Regarding health decision making, health information obtained from the Internet caused 45% of HI-users to make an appointment to see a doctor, and 40% of them had questions concerning diagnosis and treatment. Information on health and disease obtained from the Internet undoubtedly affects patient behaviour and health decisions they make.

scholarly journals „Lajki” i „hejty”, czyli kilka słów o socjolekcie polskich i rosyjskich użytkowników internetu

2018 ◽  
pp. 339-348
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kuligowska
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

The author presents several psycho- and sociolinguistic phenomena connected with Internet use. An analysis of the sociolect of Polish and Russian Internet users allows the author to establish the main kinds of human activity in the Internet and what the impact that using the Internet has on the individual.

Social interaction and the Internet

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald E. Rice ◽  
Adrian Shepherd ◽  
William H. Dutton ◽  
James E. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Central Question ◽  
National Surveys ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Research Questions

This article examines a central question raised by the growth in Internet use: is Internet use associated with increased or decreased social interaction? First, it reviews relevant prior literature and research on the digital divide in general and the relationships of Internet use with social interaction. This overview grounds four research questions, namely what can be learnt by: comparing users and non-users; comparing users with more and less offline interpersonal and mediated social interaction; assessing changes in social networks; and comparing US and British Internet users. It then identifies possible answers to these questions based on results from national surveys in the USA in 1995 and 2000 and Britain in 2003.

scholarly journals Impact of Cybersex and Intensive Internet Use on the Well-Being of Generation Z: An Analysis Based on the EPOCH Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Ranieri ◽  
Federica Guerra ◽  
Alessandra Martelli ◽  
Valerio Fanelli ◽  
Dina Di Giacomo
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
User Group ◽  
Generation Z ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Scale Test ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the impact of Internet use on the well-being and health behaviours of Generation Z members by evaluating the associations between the Internet habits (i.e. intensive Internet use and cybersex use), aspects of psychological well-being, and negative emotions of Italian Generation Z members. Study participants comprised 113 Italian youth who were divided into two groups: a cybersex user group (n = 48) and an intensive Internet user group (n = 65). The psychological battery applied was composed of the EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-Being and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale test. This initial investigation suggests that there are no significant differences in positive psychological patterns between intensive Internet users and cybersex users. However, this study demonstrated gender differences in their levels of engagement. Overall, women appeared to be more focused on life activities, and men were more active and performance oriented. Despite this, intensive Internet use and cybersex use were not found to be related to emotional fragility. Our findings suggest that cybersex use and intensive Internet use may not necessarily be related to mental health risks; on the contrary, these might even be related to positive psychological patterns.

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