Adults with Chronic Disease Less Likely to Have Internet Access

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2010 – Adults living with chronic disease are significantly less likely than healthy adults to have access to the internet, according to a new report.

Data from the Pew Internet Project and the California HealthCare Foundation found that 81 percent of adults reporting no chronic disease go online and 62 percent of adults living with one or more chronic diseases go online.

Additionally, people managing multiple diseases are less likely to have internet access. Statistically speaking, according to the report, chronic disease is associated with being older, African American, less educated and living in a lower-income household.

Fifty-one percent of American adults living with chronic disease have looked online for health information, such as information about a specific disease, drugs or a medical procedure.
By comparison, 66 percent of adults who report no chronic conditions use the internet to gather health information.