Changes in Internet Use Over Time Among Individuals with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

This study looked at how internet and mobile internet usage changed between 2012 and 2018 for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). It also examined if factors like age, income, and education affected these changes. The study found that more people with SCI were using the internet in 2018 compared to 2012, and mobile internet use increased significantly. However, some groups, like older individuals and those with lower incomes, were less likely to use the internet. Mobile internet seems to be helping to close the gap in internet access, as differences in usage among various demographic groups were decreasing. The study suggests that making electronic health resources accessible through mobile devices could benefit often overlooked individuals with SCI.

• 1
  Internet use among individuals with SCI increased from 77.7% in 2012 to 88.1% in 2018.
• 2
  Mobile internet use significantly increased from 52.4% to 87.7% among internet users from 2012 to 2018; participants were 13.7 times more likely to use mobile internet in 2018 than in 2012.
• 3
  Disparities in internet use related to race/ethnicity and sex decreased by 2018, while disparities related to age, income, education, and SCI classification remained apparent.