The Intersection of Gender and Place in Online Health Activities

Abstract

This study examines how rurality and gender are related to online health activities. Rural women face greater health risks and yet have access to a weaker health system infrastructure, which has resulted in a health disadvantage. New health information technologies may ameliorate some of these disparities; thus, the authors examine the relevance of gender and place in going online to search for health information, buy medicines, participate in health-related support groups, communicate with physicians, or maintain a personal health record. Analyzing data from the National Cancer Institute's 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey, the authors found that the relations between rurality and gender vary, depending on the specific type of online health activity, and that gender may be a more salient factor than rurality in determining whether individuals engage in particular types of online health activities. This study contributes to the literature by examining how gender and place are related to online health activities, a combined area neglected in past research, and advancing research on gender and technology. This research highlights the importance of expanding high-speed access in rural locations, increasing technological and health literacy, and tailoring the Internet to specific populations.

Notes

¹Though African Americans and Hispanics comprise a relatively large number of observations (687 and 622, respectively), few live in rural areas (85 and 44, respectively) and few report engaging in online health activities. This necessitated collapsing all non-White racial/ethnic groups into one category.

Note. Percentages may not total 100 because of rounding errors. Weighted percentages estimated using final sample and 100 replicate weights.

*Does not total 100% because 17.9% have “never looked for health information.”.

Note. Health Information National Trends Survey 2007 health information seekers (n = 4,959). Model 1 variables measure place, demographics, children in household, and employment status; Model 2 adds variables measuring level of education and household income; Model 3 adds variables measuring participant's health status and who they last looked for health information; Model 4 measures speed of Internet connection; Model 5 adds the gender and place interaction term, all statistically significant interactions, and a dichotomous variable indicating survey mode. Results are presented as exponentiated coefficients or odds ratios, standard errors are in parentheses. Analysis conducted using the sample and 100 replicate weights.

^† p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Note. Health Information National Trends Survey 2007 Internet users (n = 4,535). For each of the dependent variables above, Model 1 variables measure place, demographics, whether there are children in the household, employment status, level of education, household income, health status, who they last looked for health information, and speed of Internet connection; Model 2 adds the gender and place interaction term and all significant interactions. Preliminary tests indicated no statistically significant mode effect for these dependent variables. Therefore, the models do not include a mode variable or mode interactions. Results are presented as exponentiated coefficients or odds ratios, standard errors are in parentheses. Analysis conducted using the sample and 100 replicate weights.

^† p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Note. Health Information National Trends Survey 2007 Internet users (n = 4,535). For each of the dependent variables, Model 1 variables measure place, demographics, whether there are children in the household, employment status, level of education, household income, health status, who they last looked for health information, and speed of Internet connection; Model 2 adds the gender and place interaction term and all significant interactions. Preliminary tests indicated statistically significant mode effects for each dependent variable. Therefore, the models include a mode variable and all significant mode interactions. Results are presented as exponentiated coefficients or odds ratios, standard errors are in parentheses. Analysis conducted using the sample and 100 replicate weights.

^† p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.