Alexandra J. Greenberg|Danielle Haney|Kelly D. Blake|Richard P. Moser|Bradford W. Hesse
Differences in Access to and Use of Electronic Personal Health Information Between Rural and Urban Residents in the United States
Mayo Clinic|National Cancer Institute|National Institutes of Health|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|National Institutes of Health|Office of Science|National Cancer Institute|National Institutes of Health|National Cancer Institute|National Institutes of Health|National Cancer Institute|National Institutes of Health
abstract purpose increase use health information technologies hit presents new opportunities patient engagement selfmanagement patients rural areas stand benefit especially increased access health care tools electronic communication providers assessed adoption 4 hit tools time rural urban residency methods analyses conducted using data 7 iterations national cancer institutes health information national trends survey hints 20032014 ruralurban residency based usdas 2003 ruralurban continuum codes outcomes interest included managing personal health information online whether providers maintain electronic health records ehrs emailing health care providers purchasing medicine online bivariate analyses logistic regression used assess relationships geography outcomes controlling sociodemographic characteristics findings total 6043 176 weighted 33749 respondents across 7 administrations hints lived rural areas rural participants less likely report regular access internet 070 95 ci 061080 rural respondents neither less likely report health care providers maintained ehrs urban respondents however decreased odds managing personal health information online 059 95 ci 040078 emailing health care providers 062 95 ci 049077 conclusions digital divide rural urban residents extends hit additional investigation needed determine whether decreased use hit may due lack internet connectivity awareness tools