iSchool: College of Information Science & Technology
Health Information and Internet Use Lacking in Low-Income Communities
Jorda n Jobs iSCHOOL Information Systems
Dr . Prude nce Da lrymple Faculty Mentor iSchool
Poster Session B
Despite the popularity of “at home” medical information searches, the quality of life in low-income communities is impacted negatively due to lack of medical information use. Limited access to technology in these underserved communities hinders access to online medical information. To improve this problem first urban communities need Internet access, the desire to seek health information, and finally the comprehension of the health information is important. Surveys of parents at four Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) clinics will serve as the research base for this study. We utilized the time usually spent in the waiting room for survey administration. The results of these surveys will offer clues for how to best bridge the digital divide in terms of access to health information in underserved communities. This research will help CHOP improve communication through technology between the clinic and the patients it services.
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