A new study led by the Center for Black Studies Research at the University of California, Santa Barbara has found that improving access to technology could help mitigate the persistent healthcare inequities facing African Americans in the United States.
Using data from the Health Information National Trends Survey, the study authors investigated the associations between technology access, healthcare technology use, socioeconomic status, and health disparities among a large sample of African American participants. According to their analysis, the authors found that participants with high socioeconomic status had more access to technology and used more healthcare technology. They also found that participants who did not have access to technology had larger healthcare disparities. This suggests that efforts to reduce healthcare inequities must focus on not only socioeconomic disparities, but technology access as well.
“Policies aimed at reducing healthcare disparities must prioritize racial justice, addressing digital redlining, technological exclusion, and the economic marginalization of Black communities,” the authors write. “By leveraging health technology effectively, healthcare systems can work towards reducing disparities, enhancing patient engagement, and improving health outcomes for all populations.”
