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Digital Divide Among Medicare Beneficiaries and the Diabetes Prevention Program.

Authors :
Ng BP
Hawkins GT
Massey M
LaManna JB
Park C
Source :
American journal of preventive medicine [Am J Prev Med] 2024 Nov; Vol. 67 (5), pp. 746-752. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 22.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Introduction: Successful delivery of the virtual Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is influenced by a beneficiary's access to a computer and use of the Internet.<br />Methods: Using the 2020 nationally representative Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Public Use File, a three-level categorical dependent variable was created: (1) has a computer AND uses Internet, (2) has a computer OR uses Internet, and (3) has no access to either (reference group). A survey-weighted multinomial logit model was performed in 2023 to examine associations between socio-demographics, comorbidities, and computer access and Internet use.<br />Results: Of study beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with BMI≥25 kg/m <superscript>2</superscript> and no history of diabetes (n=3,875), 70.8% had a computer AND used Internet; 14.3% had a computer OR used Internet; and 14.9% had no computer AND did not use Internet. Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks (OR=0.28, 95% CI [0.17-0.43]) were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have a computer AND use Internet. Beneficiaries with less education (<high school) were less likely to have a computer AND use Internet (OR=0.04, [0.03-0.06]) or have a computer OR use Internet (OR=0.21, [0.14-0.33]) than those with more than a high school education. Beneficiaries with lower incomes (<$25,000) were less likely to have a computer AND use Internet (OR=0.27, [0.20-0.35]) or have a computer OR use Internet (OR=0.58, [0.41-0.80]) than those with higher incomes (≥$25,000).<br />Conclusions: Approximately 30% of potentially MDPP-eligible beneficiaries (representing ∼6 million beneficiaries) lacked full digital access. Efforts to encourage enrollment in the virtual MDPP must address digital disparities for beneficiaries at-risk for type 2 diabetes.<br /> (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1873-2607
Volume :
67
Issue :
5
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
American journal of preventive medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38909662
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2024.06.019