Disabled Less Likely to Be Online

DISABLED LESS LIKELY TO BE ONLINE
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
Americans with disabilities and other chronic conditions are less likely to use the Internet, but those who are online are among the most avid consumers of health-related information, a new study finds. Half of those with chronic conditions use the Internet, compared with three-quarters of those without, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said. That's partly because those with chronic conditions tend to be older and less educated, two factors linked with lower Internet usage overall, said Susannah Fox, an associate director at Pew and the study's main author. Other barriers include difficulties navigating the Web for those with, say, poor vision or motion control. But when they are online, those with chronic conditions are more apt to seek health information online - at least for some tasks.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INTERNET_HEALTH?SITE=VAHAR&SECTION=TECHNOLOGY&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

* E-patients With a Disability or Chronic Disease
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/222/report_display.asp
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/EPatients_Chronic_Conditions_2007.pdf