Cell Phone Utilization Among Foreign-Born Latinos: A Promising Tool for Dissemination of Health and HIV Information

Abstract

Latinos in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV and are at risk for late presentation to care. Between June 2011 and January 2012, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 209 Baltimore Latinos at community-based venues to evaluate the feasibility of using communication technology (ICT)-based interventions to improve access to HIV testing and education within the Spanish-speaking community in Baltimore. Participants had a median age of 33 years (IQR 28-42), 51.7% were male, and 95.7% were foreign-born. Approximately two-thirds (63.2%) had been in the U.S. less than 10 years and 70.1% had been previously tested for HIV. Cell phone (92.3%) and text messaging (74.2%) was used more than Internet (52.2%) or e-mail (42.8%) (p<0.01). In multivariate analysis, older age and lower education were associated with less utilization of Internet, e-mail and text messaging, but not cell phones. Interest was high for receiving health education (73.1%), HIV education (70.2%), and test results (68.8%) via text messaging. Innovative cell phone-based communication interventions have the potential to link Latino migrants to HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.

Mobile and Traditional Modes of Communication Among Male Latino Farmworkers: Implications for Health Communication and Dissemination

“…Our findings are in marked contrast to a sample of urban-dwelling Latinos, most of whom had limited education and were born in Mexico or Central America, who reported high levels of interest in receiving HIV education and HIV test results via text messaging [8], and to a study of migrant farmworkers in S.C. who reported high willingness to use mobile technology provided to them to transmit personal health information to health care providers [10]. However, we asked farmworkers in our study about receipt of findings from a study in which they were currently participating, not a potential future study or medical test.…”

“…Other populations appear positive about the use of text messaging. Among a sample of Latinos in Baltimore City with a median age of 33, most of whom were foreign-born, 68.8% reported that it would be acceptable to receive HIV test result by text messaging [8]. Taken together, these findings suggest that in-person discussions and letters are not the only means to convey research findings to communities that participate in research.…”

“…Use of cell phones and smartphones (cell phones that have advanced functions including internet access) has become extensive, and diverse strategies to harness them to improve health have been identified [3–8]. Eighty-eight percent and 91% of United States (U.S.) adults surveyed in 2012 and 2013, respectively, reported that they owned cell phones [1, 2], including 86% of Latinos in 2012 [9].…”

“…However, limited information exists about the availability, use, or attitudes about different communication technologies among Latinos residing in the U.S. who were born in Mexico or Central America, including farmworkers [8, 10]. Among a 2011–2012 sample of Latinos who were predominantly foreign-born, had limited formal education, and were in Baltimore, 92% and 74% reported using cell phones and text messaging, respectively [8]. Eighty-one percent and 39% of a sample of 80 Latino migrant farmworkers in South Carolina reported mobile phone access and smartphone ownership, respectively, in 2011 and 2012 [10].…”

Nativity and language preference as drivers of health information seeking: examining differences and trends from a U.S. population-based survey

“…Specifically, mHealth strategies have the potential to impact health disparities populations, as Hispanic, African-American, and younger populations are more likely than White and older respondents to use mobile technologies for health information (Fox and Duggan 2012; Leite et al 2014). When examining smartphone ownership in a national sample by race/ethnicity, Hispanic youth have the highest smartphone ownership rate at 43%, compared with 40% among African-Americans and 35% among Whites (Lenhart et al 2010; Zickuhr and Smith 2012).…”