Alexander Johannes Aloysius Maria van Deursen
Digital Inequality During a Pandemic: Quantitative Study of Differences in COVID-19–Related Internet Uses and Outcomes Among the General Population
University of Twente
background world health organization considers coronavirus disease covid19 public emergency threatening global health crisis publics need webbased information communication subject focus digital inequality research shown internet access evenly distributed among general population objective aim study provide timely understanding different people use internet meet information communication needs outcomes gain internet use relation covid19 pandemic also sought reveal extent gender age personality health literacy education economic social resources internet attitude material access internet access internet skills remain important factors obtaining internet outcomes people engage corresponding uses methods used webbased survey draw upon sample collected netherlands obtained dataset 1733 respondents older 18 years results men likely engage covid19related communication uses age positively related covid19related information uses negatively related information communication outcomes agreeableness negatively related outcomes information uses neuroticism positively related uses communication outcomes conscientiousness related uses outcomes introversion negatively related communication outcomes finally openness relates positively information uses outcomes physical health negative relationships outcomes health perception contributes positively information uses outcomes traditional literacy positive relationship information uses outcomes education positive relationship information communication uses economic social resources played roles internet attitude positively related information uses outcomes negatively related communication uses outcomes material access internet access contributed uses outcomes finally several indicators outcomes became insignificant accounting engagement internet uses conclusions digital inequality major concern among national international scholars policy makers contribution aimed provide broader understanding case major health pandemic using ongoing covid19 crisis context empirical work several groups people identified vulnerable older people less educated people people physical health problems low literacy levels low levels internet skills generally people already relatively advantaged likely use information communication opportunities provided internet benefit health pandemic less advantaged individuals less likely benefit therefore covid19 crisis also enforcing existing inequalities