Abstract TP398: Comparable Internet Access And Usage Among Stroke Survivors And Informal Caregivers

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Web-based interventions have shown promise as a cost-effective and convenient delivery platform for supporting chronic disease self-management. However, studies suggest that web-based interventions are not widely available. The purpose of this study was to describe access and usage of web-based electronics in a cohort of stroke survivors (SS) and their informal caregivers (IC). Methods: A 14-question electronic usage survey was created with input from experts in neurology, nursing and bioinformatics. Two urban sites recruited participants from inpatient stroke centers, outpatient stroke clinics and stroke support groups. Surveys were completed in person or via telephone. Descriptive data were generated to evaluate internet access and usage. Results: Data were analyzed from 251 SS and 127 IC. Participants were primarily recruited from outpatient settings, with inpatient recruits constituting 15%. Internet users were on average 8 years younger than non-users in both groups. African Americans constituted a third in each group and 1 out of 8 were Hispanic. Compared to an estimate that 89% of American adults have internet access, 200 (81%) SS (p < .001) and 123 (97%) IC (p = .005) had internet access. Conclusions: In our diverse cohort of relatively young SS, we found IC had more internet access than SS, and more so than the general population. This study is an important step towards delineating the potential use of web-based environments as a platform for interventions to improve stroke risk factor management and stroke recovery.