Greater Internet Access Research Articles

Trends and Disparities in the Use of Telehealth Among Injured Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective:To describe telehealth trends within a population-based workers’ compensation system during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess telehealth utilization by sociodemographic characteristics.Methods:This cross-sectional study used Washington State workers’ compensation claims and medical billing data from January 2019 to October 2020.Results:Telehealth use averaged 1.2% of medical bills pre-pandemic, peaked in April 2020 at 8.8%, and leveled off to around 3.6% from July to October 2020. Telehealth utilization differed significantly by age, sex, number of dependents, injury, industry, and receipt of interpreter services. Workers residing in counties with higher population, lower poverty rates, and greater Internet access had higher telehealth usage.Conclusions:There were dramatic shifts in telehealth; usage differed by sociodemographic characteristics. Further studies evaluating disparities in tele-health access among injured workers are needed.

Social Media and Press Freedom

AbstractAs internet penetration rapidly expanded throughout the world, press freedom and government accountability improved in some countries but backslid in others. We propose a formal model that provides a mechanism that explains the observed divergent paths of countries. We argue that increased access to social media makes partial capture, where governments allow limited freedom of the press, an untenable strategy. By amplifying the influence of small traditional media outlets, higher internet access increases both the costs of capture and the risk that a critical mass of citizens will become informed and overturn the incumbent. Depending on the incentives to retain office, greater internet access thus either forces an incumbent to extend capture to small outlets, further undermining press freedom; or relieve pressure from others. We relate our findings to the cases of Turkey and Tunisia.

Virtual Learning: Challenges and Coping Mechanisms of Language Learners in Rural Areas

The sudden shift from face-to-face instruction to online-based learning was prompted by the urgent necessity to continue the delivery of instruction amidst the COVID outbreak. Since all the country’s institutions have opted to close schools and universities, students in both urban cities and rural towns have had to adjust to the new standard. Hence, this research study employed a descriptive-qualitative research design and conducted in-depth interviews to determine the challenges and coping mechanisms of language learners studying online in rural areas. Moreover, responses were transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis. The participants of the study were seven language learners, two males and five females who study online in rural areas. It was discovered from the interviews that among the challenges encountered are problems with internet connectivity, lack of comprehensive discussion of lessons, less interaction among peers/classmates, rare opportunity to enhance speaking skills, and absence of feedback mechanism. It was also found that students’ coping mechanisms include relocating to places known to have a greater internet access, disregarding public distractions, studying independently, reserving battery, and asking support from peers.

Customers’ behavior intension regarding online shopping of general product and insecticide in Thailand

The global market of insecticide products is expected to garner around 16.7 Billion US by 2020, registering a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Companies are operating in this market focus on product launches as part of their growth strategy. As the retail sales of global e-commerce have continuously grown, e-commerce has gained the large share from physical retail over the last decade derived from the impact of greater internet access and technology development that make online shopping easier and more convenience. The research analyzes data of customer behavior intention by parallel compare impact of the data from general product and insecticide product. In analyzing data, single Linear Regression and multiple linear regression were employed to investigate the impact and difference between dependent and independent variable. The 400 respondents who are using online application and have online shopping experience were implied to investigate the factors that have intention to decision on purchase product via online channel in this research. The results have been interpreted that people have more concern on purchase of insecticide online in product attitude, customer service, purchase and delivery, and promotion of insecticide. This study concept and valid the customer behavior toward insecticide product for set strategy of the insecticide in online market.

Terrorism and Freedom of Expression: An Econometric Analysis

We apply empirical methods to examine the relationship between the frequency of terrorist incidences and freedom of expression, which we measure using Freedom House's Freedom of the Press report, and access to landline telephones, mobile phones, and the Internet. Using standard ordinary least squares econometric methods, we ultimately find that greater mobile phone access tends to increase the frequency of terrorist incidences at a diminishing rate and that greater Internet access tends to decrease the frequency of terrorist incidences at a diminishing rate. On average, the frequency of terrorist incidences is highest when societies have access to 137.89 mobile phone subscriptions for each 100 people, and lowest when the percentage of people with Internet access is at 64.79%. Based on our results, we cannot conclude that either freedom of the press or landline telephone access have any statistically significant influence on the frequency of terrorist incidences.

Disparities in Internet Use Among Orthopedic Outpatients

Internet access has lagged behind for patients with lower incomes and from certain ethnic groups. This study investigated the possible improvement of access to health-related information on the Internet for all patients in an urban outpatient setting, regardless of socioeconomic background. A 28-question survey was completed by 100 orthopedic outpatients evaluating associations between their age, ethnicity, income, or education level and their access to the Internet. The survey also examined how patients used the Internet to obtain information about their medical condition, their privacy concerns when conducting online research, and their use of mobile phones as a primary means of Internet access. The Internet was used by 57% of orthopedic outpatients in this urban setting. Internet access decreased with advancing age but increased with increasing income and education, findings consistent with similar studies. Despite the inability to identify an association between ethnicity and Internet access in this patient population, fewer Latinos (33%) than whites (67%) or African Americans (77%) sought information about their medical condition. Among patients who used a mobile phone as the primary method for online access, 74% were African American or Latino and 26% were white. This difference in mobile phone use for online access suggests that mobile phones have provided ethnic minorities with greater Internet access and thus may have narrowed the digital divide among the races.

Smartphones in Nursing Education

Smartphones are a new technology similar to PDAs but with expanded functions and greater Internet access. This article explores the potential uses and issues surrounding the use of smartphones in nursing education. While the functions of smartphones, such as sending text messages, viewing videos, and access to the Internet, may seem purely recreational, they can be used within the nursing curriculum to engage students and reinforce learning at any time or location. Smartphones can be used for quick access to educational materials and guidelines during clinical, class, or clinical conference. Students can review instructional videos prior to performing skills and readily reach their clinical instructor via text message. Downloadable applications, subscriptions, and reference materials expand the smartphone functions even further. Common concerns about requiring smartphones in nursing education include cost, disease transmission, and equipment interference; however, there are many ways to overcome these barriers and provide students with constant access to current clinical evidence.

Using the Internet and Email for Health Purposes: The Impact of Health Status*

Objective. Increasingly, people use the Internet and email for health purposes; however, we know little about whether this varies by health status. This study examines whether sick or healthy people are more likely to access the Internet, conduct online health searches, and exchange emails regarding health issues.Methods. We conduct multivariate analysis on a random sample of 2,038 adults.Results. Despite greater Internet access, respondents in excellent/good health are less likely to say they conduct online health searches because they have no health concerns or are satisfied with other health sources. In contrast, sick and disabled respondents are more likely to seek medical information online, and do so more frequently. They are also more likely to exchange health emails with friends and physicians.Conclusions. Practitioners especially need to educate their sicker patients about the uneven quality of online health information since they are more likely than healthier patients to conduct online health searches.

Canadian orthodontist Internet user profile.

An anonymous, self-administered, mail-out survey of Canadian Orthodontists was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of orthodontic Internet use. The response rate was 45.6% (304 of 667). A total of 76.6% of orthodontists reported having Internet access at work, and an additional 12.4% reported having Internet access from a different location. Statistically significant associations between Internet usage and office staff size (P < .001) and years of practice (P = .046) were observed. Offices with larger staffs had greater Internet access. Number of staffs and number of case starts were positively correlated (P < .001, r = 0.498). The odds ratio for having Internet access on the basis of increased case starts from the less than 100 to 300-399 categories was 5.67. Although not statistically significant, there was a trend for greater Internet access by younger practitioners.

The impact of electronic information delivery on reference enquiries

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine the impact of greater access to electronic information, both free and fee‐based, on reference enquiries.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology included an extensive literature review and interviews with reference services librarians both in Australia and overseas.FindingsThe assumption that greater internet access and use equal a decline in public and state library reference enquiries is not proven.Originality/valueThe paper concludes with a summary of trends, predictions and scenarios of usage of state and public library reference services in an increasingly electronic age, paying special attention and emphasis to the Australian environment.